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• lug
  lug

  verb (used with object)

  to pull or carry with force or effort.
• Lug
  Lug

  noun

  an ancient Irish god, probably a solar deity.

lug

¹ American  

[luhg] / lʌg /

verb (used with object)

• lugs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• lugged,
  past participle,  past
• lugging
  present participle

1. to pull or carry with force or effort.

   to lug a suitcase upstairs.

2. to introduce or interject in an inappropriate or irrelevant manner.

   to lug personalities into a discussion of philosophy.

3. (of a sailing ship) to carry an excessive amount of (sail) for the conditions prevailing.

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verb (used without object)

• lugs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• lugged,
  past participle,  past
• lugging
  present participle

1. to pull or tug laboriously.

2. (of an engine or machine) to jerk, hesitate, or strain.

   The engine lugs when we climb a steep hill.

noun

1. an act or instance of lugging; a forcible pull; haul.

2. a wooden box for transporting fruit or vegetables.

3. Slang. a request for or exaction of money, as for political purposes.

   They put the lug on him at the office.

lug ² American  

[luhg] / lʌg /

noun

1. a projecting piece by which anything is held or supported.

2. a ridge or welt that helps to provide traction, as on a tire or the sole of a shoe.

3. Masonry. either of the ends of a lug sill.

4. Carpentry. (in a double-hung window) one of a pair of projections extending downward from the ends of the meeting rail of the upper sash.

5. a leather loop hanging down from a saddle, through which a shaft is passed for support.

6. Shipbuilding. clip.

7. Slang.

   1. an awkward, clumsy fellow.

   2. a blockhead.

   3. a man; guy.

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lug ³ American  

[luhg] / lʌg /

noun

1. lugsail.

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lug ⁴ American  

[luhg] / lʌg /

noun

1. lugworm.

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Lug ⁵ American  

[lookh] / lʊx /

noun

1. an ancient Irish god, probably a solar deity.

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lug ¹ British  

/ lʌɡ /

noun

1. a projecting piece by which something is connected, supported, or lifted

2. Also called: tug. a leather loop used in harness for various purposes

3. a box or basket for vegetables or fruit with a capacity of 28 to 40 pounds

4. dialect another word for ear 1

5. slang a man, esp a stupid or awkward one

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lug ² British  

/ lʌɡ /

verb

1. to carry or drag (something heavy) with great effort

2. (tr) to introduce (an irrelevant topic) into a conversation or discussion

3. (tr) (of a sailing vessel) to carry too much (sail) for the amount of wind blowing

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noun

1. the act or an instance of lugging

lug ³ British  

/ lʌɡ /

noun

1. nautical short for lugsail

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lug ⁴ British  

/ lʌɡ /

noun

1. short for lugworm

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unlugged
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• lugging
  present
• lugged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• lug
  simple
• lugs
  simple
• have lugged
  perfect
• has lugged
  perfect
• am lugging
  progressive
• are lugging
  progressive
• is lugging
  progressive
• have been lugging
  perfect progressive
• has been lugging
  perfect progressive

Past

• lugged
  simple
• had lugged
  perfect
• was lugging
  progressive
• were lugging
  progressive
• had been lugging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will lug
  simple
• will have lugged
  perfect
• will be lugging
  progressive
• will have been lugging
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of lug¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English luggen, from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian lugge, Swedish lugga “to pull by the hair”

Origin of lug²

First recorded in 1485–95; from Scandinavian; compare Norwegian, Swedish lugg “forelock”; see lug ¹

Origin of lug³

By shortening

Origin of lug⁴

First recorded in 1595–1605; earlier lugg; perhaps special use of lug ²

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Explanation

To lug something is to drag or haul it. If you have to lug a heavy backpack to school, look into buying a fashionable backpack on wheels. If you overpack for a trip, you might end up having to lug your suitcases around the airport, and if your grocery bag breaks on your way home, you'll have to lug your gallon of milk and bunches of bananas in your arms instead. As a noun, lug has several less common meanings, including "a handle-like projection," and "an asymmetrical four-sized sail." Informally, a lug is also an ear in Scotland, and a bully in North America.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lug Lug lugs lugged lugging

WSJ | Buy Side: Our list of the best loafers for women includes classic penny loafers and on-trend lug soles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

The owner of a nearby indoor playground says families who have to lug strollers and diaper bags alongside small tots typically won’t opt for the bus over a car.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

Most people would vouch for specific items, such as a spare tire or a lug wrench, if they had limited choices on what to keep in their car every day.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026

I’m wheeling my bike off it with balletic ease, definitely not annoying my fellow commuters as I lug it down the stairs.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

My father always refused to let him practice this part, saying gently, “That’s enough now,” and insisting on getting back to his feet before Craig could try to lug him down the stairs.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

"Lug nuts do not shake themselves loose and fall off all at the same time without warning," he said.

From Fox News ● Oct. 21, 2021

Lug up some camping chairs, beverages, and flameless candles, and you have a pleasant change of scenery.

From Slate ● May 22, 2020

I was introduced to the routine that the three dozen other riders had already adopted: Lug your duffle bag down from the truck.

From New York Times ● Jan. 28, 2019

In San Francisco Elsa Maxwell gave a party, plugging Foyers du Soldat, incidentally plugging her motion picture The Lady and the Lug.

From Time Magazine Archive

What others say is that Lug son of Ethliu fought on Cuchulain's side at the Sessrech Bresligè.

From The Ancient Irish Epic Tale Táin Bó Cúalnge by Joseph Dunn

Hauge Sin lugs bottles of Chinese wine onto the subway to pour samples for stone-faced sommeliers and restaurant wine buyers, who sometimes come back with an order.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026

Sergei Loznitsa’s Stalin-era drama “Two Prosecutors” lugs its own protagonist along that exact same journey; it’s affixed to cynicism like a train on a track.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2025

A child lugs a jerry can half his size full of water.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 23, 2024

Infrastructure also plays a role, with leaks plaguing the network that lugs water up to and across Mexico's high-altitude capital.

From Reuters ● Apr. 27, 2023

Henry lugs out the half barrel for another neighborhood cookout.

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Chris and I dusted the soil from our hands, lugged over a watering can and gave the sequoia a long drink.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

Once a week after her parental leave, she lugged the hulking computer to the office and downloaded the latest version of the film so she could keep working after bedtime.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026

In the same central train stations of that city, old women then sold carrots and beets from cardboard boxes they had lugged from their country homes.

From Salon ● Dec. 3, 2025

Nearly 6½ hours before UCLA’s kickoff against Washington, Jamie Hickcox-Baker and Dee Fitzgerald-Cardello lugged a table across the pavement in Lot K, having already unfurled a couple of folding chairs.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2025

Once the water in the kettle boiled, Joseph lugged it upstairs, using a towel he found by the sink so the hot metal handle wouldn’t burn him.

From "The Marvels" by Brian Selznick

You’re right that standing up all day is tough, even if you’re not lugging boxes to and from the warehouse or climbing ladders and risking your health to help a customer or to restock shelves.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

For a start, petrol machines are much more powerful, which makes for quicker work, so less time is spent lugging around heavy equipment.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

The crib was smaller than what our son is used to and nobody slept all that well, but it beat lugging one along.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Groups of all ages converged on the city centre to the sound of drums and guitars, with hardy pilgrims lugging rucksacks and camping material on their backs.

From Barron's ● Jun. 7, 2026

One Sunday as Kropp and I were lugging a latrine-bucket on a pole across the barrack-yard, Himmelstoss came by, all polished up and spry for going out.

From "All Quiet on the Western Front: A Novel" by Erich Maria Remarque

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