[L. toga cloak or mantle, f. ablaut-stem of teg-ĕre to cover.]
Rom. Antiq. The outer garment of a Roman citizen in time of peace.
It consisted of a single piece of stuff of irregular form, long, broad, and flowing, without sleeves or armholes, and covered the whole body with the exception of the right arm. Toga prætexta, a toga with a broad purple border worn by children, magistrates, persons engaged in sacred rites, and later by emperors. Toga virīlis, the toga of manhood, assumed by boys at puberty; hence in fig. context.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXII. lvii. 467. All the younger sort above 17 yeares old, yea and some also under that age, that yet were in their Pretexta, and were not come to Toga virilis.
1638. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 152. The gowne deserved by them,… that had overcome their enemies, was called Toga palmata.
1690. Locke, Hum. Und., III. xi. § 25. Toga, Tunica, Pallium, are Words easily translated by Gown, Coat, and Cloak; but we have thereby no more true Ideas of the fashion of those Habits … than we have of the Faces of the Taylors who made them.
1838–42. Arnold, Hist. Rome, II. xxxvii. 478. The white toga wrapped round the body like a plaid with its broad scarlet border.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, xvii. During this period Mr. Clive assumed the toga virilis.
1867. Baker, Nile Tribut., iii. (1872), 46. There is a uniformity of dress throughout all the Nubian tribes of Arabs, the simple toga of the Romans.
b. transf. and fig. A robe of office; a professional gown, a cloak, a ‘mantle’; a dress coat.
1738. Gentl. Mag., VIII. 435/2. There were found a Chalice, two Crucifixes, a Toga or Pall, with several Mass-Books Latin and English, and other Popish Relicks.
1828. [C. Swan], trans. Manzoni’s Betrothed Lovers, I. vii. 200. Another ancestor, the dread of litigants; seated on a high stool of red velvet, and wrapped in an ample black toga—totally black, but for a white collar with two broad facings and lining of sable.
1855. J. Strang, Glasgow & Clubs (1856), 207. Lord Braxfield wore the scarlet toga of the Justiciary Court.
1867. J. Macfarlane, Mem. T. Archer, v. 128. Can they be expected to don the togas of the geologist, the geographer, the chemist, the linguist, the political economist?
c. Comb.: toga-folded a., folded like a toga; toga-like a., resembling a toga; toga-wise adv., in the manner of a toga.
1887. Rider Haggard, Allan Quaterm., xii. 132. The toga-like garment of brown cloth.
1902. Westm. Gaz., 5 Aug., 3/1. I saw my friend the artillery officer, wrapped in his long, pale blue cloak, one fold thrown over his left shoulder toga-wise.
1911. Blackw. Mag., Nov., 680/2. The Kapkoto were noticeable with their toga-folded blankets.
