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muggins

[muhg-inz]
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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 his or her score.
  3. British Slang. a fool.

Origin of muggins

First recorded in 1850–55; probably special use of proper name; def. 3 by association with mug
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for muggins

Historical Examples

  • "Muggins's Fork," some stockman said he heard it called a month ago.

    Marion's Faith.

    Charles King

  • “Ditto,” said Muggins, nodding his head and buttoning his jacket.

    Sunk at Sea

    R.M. Ballantyne

  • Larry,” said Muggins, “I think we have got into the doldrums.

    Sunk at Sea

    R.M. Ballantyne

  • The consequences were severe on some of the men, particularly on Muggins.

    Lost in the Forest

    R.M. Ballantyne

  • By the way, I wonder if we hadnt ought to have left some money for Mr. Muggins?

British Dictionary definitions for muggins

muggins

noun
  1. British slang
    1. a simpleton; silly person
    2. a title used humorously to refer to oneself
  2. a variation on the game of dominoes
  3. a card game

Word Origin

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

Word Origin and History for muggins

n.

"fool, simpleton," 1855, apparently from the surname, perhaps influenced by slang mug "dupe, fool" (1859; see mug (n.2)).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper