English

Etymology
From Ir. naigín, or Gael. noigean. Compare with nog.

Pronunciation
rhymes|�ɡɪn

Noun
en-noun

1. A small mug, cup or ladle.

#*1889: s:Author:Arthur Conan Doyle|Arthur Conan Doyle, s:The Parson of Jackman's Gulch|The Parson of Jackman's Gulch
#*:Here Nat Adams, the burly bar-keeper, dispensed bad whisky at the rate of two shillings a noggin, or a guinea a bottle...

1. dated A measure equivalent to a gill. Also possibly linked to the phrase "naggan of vodka" (a small bottle of vodka).

#*1836: s:Author:Charles Dickens|Charles Dickens, s:The Pickwick Papers/Chapter 49|The Pickwick Papers
#*:I don�t know whether...you...ever...went out to a slight lunch of a bushel of oysters, a dozen or so of bottled ale, and a noggin or two of whiskey to close up with.

1. slang The head.

#*2003: James D. Doss, Dead Soul ¹
#*:Or maybe he bumped his noggin when he fell down�after he got clipped on the legs.
#*2003: John Farris, The Fury and the Power ²
#*:She bumped her noggin on the bulkhead above the doorway, smiled in apology for her presumed clumsiness.

See also
noggen

References
OED 2nd edition 1989

te:noggin
vi:noggin
zh:noggin

• 2007-10-02 19:24 - Interwicket - iwiki +te

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