hug

American  

[huhg] / hʌg /

verb (used with object)

hugged, hugging

1. to clasp tightly in the arms, especially with affection; embrace.

2. to cling firmly or fondly to; cherish.

   to hug an opinion.

3. to keep close to, as in sailing, walking, or in moving along or alongside of.

   to hug the shore;

   to hug the road.

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verb (used without object)

hugged, hugging

1. to cling together; lie close.

noun

1. a tight clasp with the arms; embrace.

hug British  

/ hʌɡ /

verb

1. (also intr) to clasp (another person or thing) tightly or (of two people) to cling close together; embrace

2. to keep close to a shore, kerb, etc

3. to cling to (beliefs, etc); cherish

4. to congratulate (oneself); be delighted with (oneself)

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noun

1. a tight or fond embrace

Other Word Forms

• huggable adjective
• hugger noun
• huggingly adverb
• unhugged adjective

Etymology

Origin of hug

First recorded in 1560–70; perhaps from Old Norse hugga “to soothe, console”; akin to Old English hogian “to care for”

Example Sentences

She gives me a thumbs up, and with a kiss and a warm hug, we say goodbye.

From Los Angeles Times

As you can imagine, our dressing room after the game was pretty lively, with Ricardo being hugged and lauded by our players who had been ignoring him only a few hours earlier.

From BBC

"It makes me even more delighted to have a 35-year-old youth as my successor," the outgoing interim prime minister, who hugged Shah after he took the oath, said in a statement.

From Barron's

By Thursday they boarded a plane in Guadalajara, and Uribe gave them a big hug when they walked through the front door of her home in Los Angeles.

From Los Angeles Times

McLaughlin's predecessor - who was also 11 when he began work on the first Harry Potter movie - wished the youngster and his co-stars all the best for the production, saying: "I just want to hug them."

From BBC

Related Words

• embrace