Mug

[muhg] /mʌg/

noun
1.
a drinking cup, usually cylindrical in shape, having a handle, and often of a heavy substance, as earthenware.
2.
the quantity it holds.
3.
Slang.

4.
British Slang. a gullible person; dupe; fool.
verb (used with object), mugged, mugging.
5.
to assault or menace, especially with the intention of robbery.
6.
Slang. to photograph (a person), especially in compliance with an official or legal requirement.
verb (used without object), mugged, mugging.
7.
Slang. to grimace; exaggerate a facial expression, as in acting.
/mʌɡ/
noun
1.
a drinking vessel with a handle, usually cylindrical and made of earthenware
2.
Also called mugful. the quantity held by a mug or its contents
/mʌɡ/
noun
1.
(slang) a person’s face or mouth: get your ugly mug out of here!
2.
(slang) a grimace
3.
(Brit, slang) a gullible person, esp one who is swindled easily
4.
a mug’s game, a worthless activity
verb mugs, mugging, mugged
5.
(transitive) (informal) to attack or rob (someone) violently
6.
(intransitive) (Brit, slang) to pull faces or overact, esp in front of a camera
n.

“drinking vessel,” 1560s, “bowl, pot, jug,” of unknown origin, perhaps from Scandinavian (cf. Swedish mugg “mug, jug,” Norwegian mugge “pitcher, open can for warm drinks”), or Low German mokke, mukke “mug,” also of unknown origin.

“a person’s face,” 1708, possibly from mug (n.1), on notion of drinking mugs shaped like grotesque faces. Sense of “portrait or photograph in police records (e.g. mug shot, 1950) had emerged by 1887. Hence, also, “a person” (especially “a criminal”), 1890.
v.

“to beat up,” 1818, originally “to strike the face” (in pugilism), from mug (n.2). The general meaning “attack” is first attested 1846, and “attack to rob” is from 1864. Perhaps influenced by thieves’ slang mug “dupe, fool, sucker” (1851). Related: Mugged; mugging.

“make exaggerated facial expressions,” 1855, originally theatrical slang, from mug (n.2). Related: Mugged; mugging.

noun

verb

[probably fr drinking mugs made to resemble grotesque human faces; the sense of violent assault comes fr mid-1800s British specialization of the term ”rob by violent strangulation,” probably fr mug-hunter, ”a thief who seeks out victims who are mugs” (easy marks)]