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plugugly

American  
[pluhg-uhg-lee] / ˈplʌgˌʌg li /

noun

Informal.

PLURAL

pluguglies

  1. a ruffian; rowdy; tough.

Etymology

Origin of plugugly

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60; plug + ugly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And Pearl Bergoff, who in better days made millions renting plugugly strike breakers in carload lots to U. S. employers, had observed, according to a G-Man witness: "If I am guilty, Mr. Rand is equally guilty."

From Time Magazine Archive

Higginbotham flew away in it, while that plugugly who damaged our airplane and whom Bob couldn’t locate worked the radio for him.”

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.