plug
a piece of wood or other material used to stop up a hole or aperture, to fill a gap, or to act as a wedge.
a core or interior segment taken from a larger matrix.
Electricity. a device to which may be attached the conductors of a cord and which by insertion in a jack, or screwing into a receptacle, establishes contact.
a fireplug or hydrant.
a cake of pressed tobacco.
a piece of tobacco cut off for chewing.
Informal. the favorable mention of something, as in a lecture, radio show, etc.; advertisement; recommendation: The actress was happy to give her new show a plug.
Angling. an artificial lure made of wood, plastic, or metal, and fitted with one or more gang hooks, used chiefly in casting.
Geology. neck (def. 14).
Slang. a worn-out or inferior horse.
Informal. a shopworn or unsalable article.
a small piece of sod used especially for seeding a lawn.
a patch of scalp with viable hair follicles that is used as a graft for a bald part of the head.: Compare hair transplant.
Slang. punch1 (def. 1).
Metalworking.
a mandrel on which tubes are formed.
a punch on which a cup is drawn.
a protrusion on a forging die for forming a recess in the work.
a false bottom on a die.
Also called dook. a small piece of wood inserted into masonry as a hold for a nail.
Masonry. See under plug and feathers.
Also called plug hat . a man's tall silk hat.
to stop or fill with or as if with a plug (often followed by up): to plug up a leak; plug a gap.
to insert or drive a plug into.
to secure with or as if with a plug.
to insert (something) as a plug.
to remove a core or a small plug-shaped piece from.
to remove the center of (a coin) and replace it with a baser metal: a plugged nickel.
Informal. to mention (something) favorably, as in a lecture, radio show, etc.: He says he will appear if he can plug his new TV series.
Slang. to punch with the fist.
Slang. to shoot or strike with a bullet.
to work with stubborn persistence (often followed by along or away): You're doing a fine job—just keep plugging. Some writers will plug away at the same novel for several years.
Informal. to publicize insistently: Whenever he gets the chance, he's plugging for his company.
Slang. to shoot or fire shots.
plug in,
to connect to an electrical power source: Plug the TV set in over there.
Informal. to add or include; incorporate: They still have to plug in more research data.
plug into,
to connect or become connected by or as if by means of a plug: The device will plug into any convenient wall outlet. The proposed new departments would eventually plug into the overall organizational plan.
Informal. to feel an affinity for; like; understand: Some kids just don't plug into sports in school.
plug up, to become plugged: The drain in the sink plugs up every so often.
Idioms about plug
pull the plug on, Informal.
to discontinue or terminate: The government has threatened to pull the plug on further subsidies.
to disconnect life-sustaining equipment from (a moribund patient).
Origin of plug
1Other words from plug
- plug·ga·ble, adjective
- plug·ging·ly, adverb
- plugless, adjective
- pluglike, adjective
Words Nearby plug
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use plug in a sentence
The end result is that this solution is incredibly less plug-and-play for game developers, and developers will have to integrate their payment systems with Apple’s in-app purchase frameworks.
Apple lays out its messy vision for how xCloud and Stadia will work with its App Store rules | Lucas Matney | September 11, 2020 | TechCrunchExcept, late into Friday night, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes suddenly pulled the plug on the Saturday event.
Meanwhile, a board of experienced investors guides their progress—and can pull the plug if that progress is too slow.
“That was really the spark plug,” Merlo said in an interview this month.
U.S. will conduct an unofficial dry run of a COVID-19 vaccine campaign this fall | Claire Zillman, reporter | August 19, 2020 | FortuneThe other thing I will say, this is a little plug to the public, that if people would just listen to what they’re being told in terms of, you know, stay at home as much as you can, wearing masks when you’re out, social distancing.
TLC promptly pulled the plug on the hit series and Shannon embarked on a press tour denying the claims.
Butts, Brawls, and Bill Cosby: The Biggest Celebrity Scandals of 2014 | Kevin Fallon | December 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTJust plug it into any TV and get watching—no need to schedule an installation.
And then I reach into my pocket and plug in another quarter.
How long did you see Hello Ladies going prior to HBO pulling the plug?
Stephen Merchant Talks ‘Hello Ladies’ movie, the Nicole Kidman Cameo, and Legacy of ‘The Office’ | Marlow Stern | November 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTShe recalls a particularly traumatic conversation with a HBO executive soon after the plug was pulled on The Comeback.
How Lisa Kudrow Pulled Off TV’s Ultimate ‘Comeback’ | Kevin Fallon | November 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST"Let's fight them," said Dan, taking out his plug of tobacco and holding it until a decision was made.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. Dunn"All right," said Dan, biting off a big chew from the plug he was holding, and restoring the rest to his pocket.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. DunnIf the decision had been against a fight, Dan would have put the plug back without taking a chew.
The Courier of the Ozarks | Byron A. DunnA connecting rod worked a balance-beam, which worked the air-pump, feed-pump, and plug-rod for moving the valves.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2) | Francis TrevithickA piece of iron sticking out from the cross-head carried the plug-rod for working the gear-handles.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2) | Francis Trevithick
British Dictionary definitions for plug
/ (plʌɡ) /
a piece of wood, cork, or other material, often cylindrical in shape, used to stop up holes and gaps or as a wedge for taking a screw or nail
such a stopper used esp to close the waste pipe of a bath, basin, or sink while it is in use and removed to let the water drain away
a device having one or more pins to which an electric cable is attached: used to make an electrical connection when inserted into a socket
Also called: volcanic plug a mass of solidified magma filling the neck of an extinct volcano
See sparking plug
a cake of pressed or twisted tobacco, esp for chewing
a small piece of such a cake
angling a weighted artificial lure with one or more sets of hooks attached, used in spinning
a seedling with its roots encased in potting compost, grown in a tray with compartments for each individual plant
informal a recommendation or other favourable mention of a product, show, etc, as on television, on radio, or in newspapers
slang a shot, blow, or punch (esp in the phrase take a plug at)
informal the mechanism that releases water to flush a lavatory (esp in the phrase pull the plug)
mainly US an old horse
pull the plug on informal to put a stop to
(tr) to stop up or secure (a hole, gap, etc) with or as if with a plug
(tr) to insert or use (something) as a plug: to plug a finger into one's ear
(tr) informal to make favourable and often-repeated mentions of (a song, product, show, etc), esp on television, on radio, or in newspapers
(tr) slang to shoot with a gun: he plugged six rabbits
(tr) slang to punch or strike
(intr; foll by along, away, etc) informal to work steadily or persistently
Origin of plug
1Derived forms of plug
- plugger, noun
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
Other Idioms and Phrases with plug
In addition to the idiom beginning with plug
- plug away at
- plugged in, be
also see:
- peg (plug) away at
- pull the plug on
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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