mug

The word “mug” means a large cup with a handle, used for hot drinks, without a saucer. In plain terms, a cup with a handle — or, informally, a face, a gullible person, or (as a verb) to rob someone violently.

“Mug” is pronounced muhg (/mʌɡ/ in IPA).

Here is “mug” used in a sentence: “He poured his coffee into a chipped mug.”

Depending on how it is used, “mug” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “mug” dates back to around 1500 and comes from German. First recorded in 16th-century Scots and northern English dialect meaning "earthenware pot," of uncertain origin, possibly linked to Scandinavian or Low German words for a drinking vessel.

“Mug” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Mug” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large cup with a handle, used for hot drinks, without a saucer.

A mug is a large drinking vessel with a handle used for hot drinks and is typically used without a saucer, whereas a cup is usually smaller and often paired with a saucer in formal settings. Mugs are generally considered more casual and everyday than cups.

To mug someone means to attack and rob them, usually in a public place, and describes a criminal act. To mug for the camera means to make exaggerated facial expressions for effect, which is a harmless, often humorous behaviour.

Yes, in British informal usage, calling someone a mug means describing them as gullible or easily fooled, and it is generally considered a mild insult. This sense is distinct from mug meaning a person's face, which is more neutral or playful.

Mug used to mean a person's face is informal, and it often appears in casual or humorous contexts rather than formal writing.