1. A movement forward in frog fashion.
1880. Sir S. Lakeman, What I saw in Kaffir-Land, iv. 26. He had had a frog’s march—that is to say, on hands, belly, and knees—almost from one end of the town to the other.
2. slang. The method of carrying a drunken or refractory prisoner face downwards between four men, each holding a limb.
1871. Evening Standard, 18 April, 5/4. They did not give the defendant the ‘Frog’s March.’
1882. Daily Tel., 20 Nov., 3/2. Treating a refractory toper to the frog’s-march, by carrying him, face downwards, to the station.
1885. in West. Morn. News, 2 Jan., 7/3. What is known as the ‘frog’s march.’
Hence Frog-march, frog’s-march v. trans.; Frog-marching vbl. sb.
1884. B’ham Weekly Post, 15 Nov., 3/7. Deceased was ‘frog’s-marched’—that is, with face downwards—from Deal to Walmer.
1894. Times, 8 May, 13/6. Death was accelerated by the ‘frog marching.’
