verb
hug
huhg
verb
1
To wrap your arms around someone and hold them close, usually to show affection or comfort.
"She hugged her friend tightly at the airport."
"He hugged his son before leaving for the trip."
2
To stay very close to something, such as a road or coastline.
"The trail hugs the edge of the cliff for miles."
"The car hugged the curves of the mountain road."
noun
1
An act of embracing someone with your arms.
"She gave him a warm hug before saying goodbye."
"A quick hug was all the comfort he needed."
How to Use Hug
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPutting your arms around someone (or something staying close to something else, like a road hugging a coastline).
Common pairings
give someone a hug
a big hug
hug the coast
Word Forms
hugged past tense, hugs plural, hugs singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “hug”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The trail _____ the edge of the cliff for miles.
Etymology
From an older English word meaning "to embrace," likely blending a word for crouching close with an Old Norse word meaning "to comfort" — ultimately tied to a root meaning "mind" or "thought."