mug
- a drinking cup, usually cylindrical in shape, having a handle, and often of a heavy substance, as earthenware.
- the quantity it holds.
- Slang.
- the face.
- the mouth.
- an exaggerated facial expression; grimace, as in acting.
- a thug, ruffian, or other criminal.
- British Slang. a gullible person; dupe; fool.
- to assault or menace, especially with the intention of robbery.
- Slang. to photograph (a person), especially in compliance with an official or legal requirement.
- Slang. to grimace; exaggerate a facial expression, as in acting.
Origin of mug
Examples from the Web for mug
Contemporary Examples
To this day, Bush media maven Roger Ailes adamantly denies that he or the campaign had any role in the Willie Horton mug shot ad.
He plants himself on an outdoor couch, stirs Nesquik into a mug, and leans forward.
Beside the mug shot of McCollum was one of a man named Wayne Laws.
How the North Carolina GOP Made a Wrongfully Convicted Man a Death Row ScapegoatMichael Daly
September 4, 2014
You know, he dug up 32-year-old mug shots of me that I had never even seen before, that had never been posted.
The Weirdest Story About a Conservative Obsession, a Convicted Bomber, and Taylor Swift You Have Ever ReadDavid Weigel
August 30, 2014
When he turned himself in, he wore a smirk in his mug shot, and then he went out for ice cream with reporters in tow.
Historical Examples
Here, Cyrus, you reach me down your mug—ain't them your shavin' things up there?
Meadow GrassAlice Brown
I suppose it was that picture with the mug and the clay pipe.
Jan and Her JobL. Allen Harker
The mug shots were stuck on the card, arrest details and such inserted.
Arm of the LawHarry Harrison
I don't care a hang; but there will be some fun when he shows his mug to-morrow.
To-morrowJoseph Conrad
A mug of mulled claret for a nightcap, and a good sleep, will set you all right.
BarringtonCharles James Lever
mug1
- a drinking vessel with a handle, usually cylindrical and made of earthenware
- Also called: mugful the quantity held by a mug or its contents
Word Origin
mug2
- slang a person's face or mouthget your ugly mug out of here!
- slang a grimace
- British slang a gullible person, esp one who is swindled easily
- a mug's game a worthless activity
- (tr) informal to attack or rob (someone) violently
- (intr) British slang to pull faces or overact, esp in front of a camera
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for mug
n.1
"drinking vessel," 1560s, "bowl, pot, jug," of unknown origin, perhaps from Scandinavian (cf. Swedish mugg "mug, jug," Norwegian mugge "pitcher, open can for warm drinks"), or Low German mokke, mukke "mug," also of unknown origin.
n.2
"a person's face," 1708, possibly from mug (n.1), on notion of drinking mugs shaped like grotesque faces. Sense of "portrait or photograph in police records (e.g. mug shot, 1950) had emerged by 1887. Hence, also, "a person" (especially "a criminal"), 1890.
v.1
"to beat up," 1818, originally "to strike the face" (in pugilism), from mug (n.2). The general meaning "attack" is first attested 1846, and "attack to rob" is from 1864. Perhaps influenced by thieves' slang mug "dupe, fool, sucker" (1851). Related: Mugged; mugging.
v.2
"make exaggerated facial expressions," 1855, originally theatrical slang, from mug (n.2). Related: Mugged; mugging.