chug

Etymology 1

Onomatopoeic, in imitation of a working steam engine. The racial slur sense derives from the stereotype of Native Americans chugging alcohol.

noun

1. A dull, fairly quick explosive or percussive sound, as if made by a labouring engine.
2. A large gulp of drink.
   He drank his beer in three chugs.
3. A homemade Cuban boat, built to carry emigrants to the USA, and often abandoned upon arrival.
4. (derogatory, ethnic slur) A person of Native American descent.

verb

1. (intransitive) To make dull explosive sounds.
2. (intransitive) To move or travel whilst making such sounds.
   We were chugging along a back road when the engine cut out.
3. (intransitive, by extension) To move or travel at a steady, although not especially fast, pace.
   As the escort carriers chug away south, their single 5-inch rear guns are now cleared to open fire as the range closes. 27 February 2019, Drachinifel, 24:22 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 2022-11-03
   For thousands of years, human progress was indexed to the ease and speed of our mobility: our capacity to walk on two legs, and then to ride on animals, sail on boats, chug across the land and fly through the air, all to procure for ourselves the food and materials we wanted. November 21 2019, Samanth Subramanian, “How our home delivery habit reshaped the world”, in The Guardian
4. (transitive, colloquial) To drink a large amount (especially of beer) in a single action/without breathing; to chugalug. Usually chanted at the person who is drinking.
   Chug! Chug! Chug!
   I can't believe he chugged three beers.

Etymology 2

Blend of chihuahua + pug

noun

1. A dog that is a cross between a pug and a chihuahua.

Etymology 3

Blend of charity + mug

verb

1. (transitive, UK slang, derogatory) To solicit charitable donations on the street, particularly in a persistent manner.
   I got chugged in the town centre today.