lugged; lugging

transitive verb

1
: drag, pull
2
: to carry laboriously
lugged the bags to the car
3
: to introduce in a forced manner
lugs my name into the argument

intransitive verb

1
: to pull with effort : tug
2
: to move heavily or by jerks
the car lugs on hills
3
of a racehorse : to swerve from the course toward or away from the inside rail

lug

2 of 3

noun (1)

1
archaic
a
: an act of lugging
b
: something that is lugged
c
: a shipping container for produce
2
3
lugs plural : superior airs or affectations
put on lugs
4
slang : an exaction of money
used in the phrase put the lug on

lug

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: something (such as a handle) that projects like an ear: such as
a
: a leather loop on a harness saddle through which the shaft passes
b
: a metal fitting to which electrical wires are soldered or connected
2
chiefly British : ear
3
: a ridge (as on the bottom of a shoe) to increase traction
4
: a nut used to secure a wheel on an automotive vehicle

called also lug nut

5
a
: a big clumsy fellow
b
: an ordinary commonplace person

Examples of lug in a Sentence

Verb She had to lug her suitcases out to the car by herself. I was lugging a heavy camera around all day. Noun (2) get off of my feet, you big lug! the billionaire industrialist was totally clueless about the concerns of the blue-collar lugs that worked for him
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Families in high-level apartments without elevators would struggle to lug them upstairs. Elizabeth Endicott, The Atlantic, 17 Mar. 2025 On move-in day, the elevators were broken, forcing Smith — recovering from a torn ACL — to lug his belongings up four flights of stairs. Sam Tabachnik, The Denver Post, 14 Mar. 2025
Noun
The dead man wore underwear, black socks and black plain toe Oxfords with a heavy lug sole. Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 17 Mar. 2025 There are some metal elements, including the tripod collar and foot, strap lugs, and aperture ring. PCMAG, 5 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lug

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English luggen to pull by the hair or ear, drag, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Norwegian lugga to pull by the hair

Noun (2)

Middle English (Scots) lugge, perhaps from Middle English luggen

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lug was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lug. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

lugged; lugging
: to pull or carry especially with great effort

lug

2 of 2 noun
1
: a part (as a handle) that projects like an ear
2
: a nut used to hold a wheel on an automotive vehicle
3
a
: a big clumsy fellow
b
: an ordinary commonplace person

More from Merriam-Webster on lug

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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