Meaning & use
mug
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Meanings
nouncountable
A large cup with a handle, usually used for hot drinks such as tea or coffee.
Grammar: Countable; can be used with 'a' or in the plural.
Patterns
- a mug of coffee
- drink from a mug
She poured herself a mug of hot tea.
He gave me a ceramic mug as a gift.
The cafe serves coffee in large mugs.
verbtransitive
To attack and rob someone, typically in a public place, using force or threats.
Grammar: Takes an object: mug someone. Often used in the passive: be mugged.
Patterns
- mug someone
- be mugged
He was mugged on his way home last night.
The gang mugged tourists in the park.
She was mugged for her phone.
nouncountableinformalBritish
A person's face.
Grammar: Countable; often used in informal British English.
Patterns
- someone's mug
He's got a friendly mug.
I don't want to see his ugly mug again.
nouncountableinformalBritish
A person who is easily tricked or taken advantage of.
Grammar: Countable; often used in the phrase 'don't be a mug'.
Patterns
- be a mug
- don't be a mug
Don't be a mug; don't lend him money again.
He felt like a mug for believing her story.
Word forms
| plural | mugs |
|---|---|
| third person singular | mugs |
| past tense | mugged |
| past participle | mugged |
| present participle | mugging |
Common combinations
- coffee mug
- He bought a new coffee mug with a funny slogan.
- mug shot
- The police took his mug shot at the station.
- a mug of tea
- She made herself a mug of tea.
- mug someone for something
- They mugged him for his wallet.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cup
- Cup is a more general term for a small container for drinking, often without a handle; a mug is larger and usually has a handle.
- rob
- Rob means to take money or property illegally, often from a place or person; mug specifically means to attack and rob someone in a public place.
- face
- Face is the standard word for the front part of the head; mug is informal and can sound disrespectful.
Word family
Practice
He was ______ on his way home and lost his wallet.
Choose one answer.
The passive voice 'was mugged' is correct because he was the victim of a robbery. The other forms do not fit the passive structure.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mug”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.