mug

Etymology 1

Early 16th century (originally Scots and northern English, denoting "earthenware, pot, jug"), of unknown origin, perhaps from North Germanic (compare Swedish mugg (“mug, jug”), Norwegian mugge (“pitcher, open can for warm drinks”), Danish mugge), or Low German mokke, mukke (“mug”), German Low German Muck (“drinking cup”), Dutch mok (“mug”), also of unknown origin. Perhaps related to Old English muga (“stack”) and Old Norse múgr (“mass, heap (of corn)”). Compare also Middle English mug, mog (“a measure of salt”). "Face" sense possibly from grotesque faces on certain drinking vessels. "Assault" sense of verb possibly from hitting someone in the face.

noun

1. A large cup for beverages, usually having a handle and used without a saucer.
2. (slang, often derogatory) The face.
   What an ugly mug.
3. (slang, derogatory) A gullible or easily-cheated person.
   He's a gullible mug – he believed her again.
4. (UK, Australia, derogatory, slang) A stupid or contemptible person.
5. (slang) A criminal.

verb

1. (transitive, obsolete, UK) To strike in the face.
   Madgbury showed game, drove Abbot in a corner, but got well Mugg'd. 1821, The Fancy, i. p.261
   1857, "The Leary Man", in Anglicus Ducange, The Vulgar Tongue And if you come to fibbery, You must Mug one or two,
   "Suppose they had Mugged you?" / "Done what to me?" / "Mugged you. Slogged you, you know." 5 May 1866, London Miscellany, page 102
2. (transitive) To assault for the purpose of robbery.
3. (intransitive) To exaggerate a facial expression for communicative emphasis; to make a face, to pose, as for photographs or in a performance, in an exaggerated or affected manner.
   The children weren't interested in sitting still for a serious photo; they mugged for the camera.
4. (transitive) To photograph for identification; to take a mug shot.
5. (UK, Australia, Singapore, slang) To learn or review a subject as much as possible in a short time; cram.

adj

1. (archaic) Easily fooled, gullible.
   "Great heavens! Is it?" Drummond helped himself to marmalade. "And to think that I once pictured myself skewering Huns with it. Do you think anybody would be mug enough to buy it, James?" 1920, Herman Cyril McNeile, chapter 1, in Bulldog Drummond
2. (Bermuda, slang) Uninteresting or unpleasant.
   But anyways, I stayed back a second year and my papa was visiting when momma was opening de report card. Papa gave me de muggest moment in my life like. 12 April 2013, “Exclusive: Meet Derpuntae - Bermuda's first meme”, in The Bermuda Sun, archived from the original on 2022-12-12
   So... complaining about Bermuda being boring/mug on a constant does what exactly? 4 February 2020, @makim_ori, Twitter, archived from the original on 2023-07-07

Etymology 2

Informal variant of motherfucker.

noun

1. (slang, African-American Vernacular) Motherfucker (usually in similes, e.g. "like a mug" or "as a mug")