jog

jog — verb

1. to move your feet faster than a walk at a relaxed, steady pace, done to stay hea

1.verbintransitiveA2
Definition

to move your feet faster than a walk at a relaxed, steady pace, done to stay healthy or for enjoyment.

Example

Theo jogs along the river path every evening before dinner.

jog + along + time phrase

Yumi puts on her trainers and jogs around the school track three times a week.

jog + around + frequency phrase

Common collocations
  • jog along
  • jog around
  • jog through
  • jog regularly
  • jog gently
Synonyms
  • run

    faster pace; jog is deliberately slower and steadier

  • trot

    a pace between walk and run, more associated with horses than people

Antonyms
  • walk

    slower pace with one foot on the ground at all times

  • sprint

    running at top speed over a short distance

Grammar Patterns

jog + preposition (along/around/through)

2. to push or hit someone or something gently, often by accident or to get their at

2.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to push or hit someone or something gently, often by accident or to get their attention.

Example

Mizuki jogged her brother's elbow as she reached across the table for the salt.

jog + body part (elbow/shoulder)

A passenger in the crowded train jogged Zayd's shoulder, making him spill his coffee.

Common collocations
  • jog someone's elbow
  • jog someone's shoulder
  • accidentally jog
Synonyms
  • nudge

    a softer, more deliberate push to get attention

  • bump

    harder and more accidental than jog

  • jostle

    push roughly in a crowd, more forceful

Grammar Patterns

jog + object

jog + object + preposition

Common Mistakes

She jogged him to wake up.
She nudged him to wake up.
'jog' usually refers to a quick, often accidental push, not a deliberate waking-up gesture.

3. to travel forward at a slow pace while shaking or bouncing up and down, typicall

3.verbintransitiveB2
Definition

to travel forward at a slow pace while shaking or bouncing up and down, typically on an uneven surface.

Example

The old pickup truck jogged along the dirt road, rattling with every bump.

jog + along [rough road] for vehicle movement

Theo's bicycle jogged over the cobblestones, and he held on tightly to the handlebars.

Common collocations
  • jog along
  • jog over
  • jog across
  • jog slowly
Synonyms
  • bounce

    more up-and-down motion, less forward movement implied

  • rattle

    emphasises the noise and shaking rather than the slow pace

  • bump

    describes hitting individual obstacles rather than continuous motion

Grammar Patterns

jog + adverb/preposition of direction

Usage Note

Subject is usually a vehicle, bicycle, or cart moving on a rough or uneven surface.

4. to help someone remember something by giving them a small hint or reminder.

4.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to help someone remember something by giving them a small hint or reminder.

Example

Showing Zuri the old photo album jogged her memory about the summer she spent in Busan.

jog + possessive + memory about [topic]

Ari read the email again, hoping it would jog his memory about the client's name.

Common collocations
  • jog someone's memory
  • jog my memory
  • jog her memory
  • jog their memory
Synonyms
  • remind

    more direct and common; doesn't require the noun 'memory'

  • prompt

    slightly more formal; can be used without 'memory'

Grammar Patterns

jog + possessive pronoun + memory

jog + noun's + memory

Usage Note

Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'jog someone's memory.' The object is typically a possessive pronoun (my, his, her, their) or a noun with 's before 'memory.' It cannot be used without 'memory' as the object.

Common Mistakes

The photo jogged the answer.
The photo jogged my memory about the answer.
'jog' must act on 'memory,' not on the thing remembered.
Phrasal verbs

jog along

phrasal verb

to continue doing something in a steady, unexciting way without problems or major changes.

The small shop has been jogging along for years, serving the same group of loyal customers.

Ritu and her colleagues just jog along with their daily tasks, never taking on anything new.

jog on

phrasal verb

To continue with a slow, steady run as part of a warm-up or cool-down.

After the race, Brian jogged on to cool down.

We jogged on for ten minutes before stretching.

Idioms

jog somebody’s memory

idiom

To help someone remember something by giving them a small hint or clue.

Maya showed me an old photo to jog my memory.

Could you describe the suspect to jog my memory?

jog — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Jog, run, trot, and sprint all describe moving your feet faster than a walk, but they differ in pace, effort, and purpose. Jogging is the slowest and gentlest — a relaxed, steady pace done for exercise or enjoyment, with both feet briefly leaving the ground. Running is faster than jogging; it requires more energy and is often used in sports or racing. Trotting is a pace between walking and running that is more associated with horses, though it is sometimes used playfully for people moving at a light, bouncy speed. Sprinting is running at top speed over a very short distance — think of a runner dashing the last 100 metres of a race. To choose the right word, ask yourself about the pace: if the person is moving easily and can keep going for twenty minutes while chatting, that is a jog.

jog ↗run ↗trot ↗sprint ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • go for a jog
  • take a jog
  • jog someone's memory
  • a gentle jog

Prepositions

Etymology

Middle EnglishEnglish

The verb 'jog' first appeared in English in the mid-1500s, meaning 'to shake or push slightly.' By the late 1500s, it was also being used to describe a horse moving at a slow trot. The exercise sense — running at a steady pace for health — dates back to the 1700s but became a worldwide craze in the 1960s and 1970s. The noun sense meaning 'a short bend in a road or path' comes from the idea of a line that 'shakes' or shifts direction briefly.