muggins

[ muhg-inz ]

noun
  1. a convention in the card game of cribbage in which a player scores points overlooked by an opponent.

  2. a game of dominoes, in which any player who can make the sum of two ends of the line equal five or a multiple of five adds the number so made to their score.

  1. British Slang. a fool.

Origin of muggins

1
First recorded in 1850–55; probably special use of proper name; def. 3 by association with mug (def. 4)

Words Nearby muggins

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use muggins in a sentence

  • "We'll march home Siamese fashion or my name is muggins," said the inspector, between his teeth.

    The Incendiary | W. A. (William Augustine) Leahy
  • How well it reads, that 'Private muggins received a shot in the neck and died without a groan.'

  • Serious muggins had come out with Silver-headed Jack, and had got the title because he never smiled.

    Grif | B. L. (Benjamin Leopold) Farjeon
  • Serious muggins actually seemed pleased that we were not successful.

    Grif | B. L. (Benjamin Leopold) Farjeon
  • I was working at the windlass, and Serious muggins was chopping down a tree, a little distance off, for firewood.

    Grif | B. L. (Benjamin Leopold) Farjeon

British Dictionary definitions for muggins

muggins

/ (ˈmʌɡɪnz) /


noun
  1. British slang

    • a simpleton; silly person

    • a title used humorously to refer to oneself

  2. a variation on the game of dominoes

  1. a card game

Origin of muggins

1
C19: probably from the surname Muggins

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012