chug — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A dull, fairly quick explosive or percussive sound, as if made by a labouring engine.

2. A large gulp of drink.

   Examples

   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. A person of Native American descent.

   Usage

   • Derogatory
   • ethnic
   • slur

5. A palm muted note on a distorted electric guitar.

Verb

1. To make dull explosive sounds.

   Usage

   • Intransitive

2. To move or travel whilst making such sounds.

   Usage

   • Intransitive

   Examples

   We were chugging along a back road when the engine cut out.

   The inn also offers adventure packages, including ziplining and a truck safari, where a military vehicle chugs up the side of a muddy mountain.

3. To move or travel at a steady, although not especially fast, pace.

   Usage

   • broadly
   • Intransitive

   Examples

   Outside, beyond the sun-baked station yard, a rice mill chugged away in the distance, and sweating coolies unloaded bags of rice from creaking bullock carts.

   Before the year was out, the girls were out of school and the foursome's "Tell Him" was chuggin’ up the charts.

   More examples (3)

   As the escort carriers chug away south, their single 5-inch rear guns are now cleared to open fire as the range closes.

   I kept chugging away on ion, adjusting my path so I'd hit perikron in the B ring with orbital velocity.

   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.

4. To drink a large amount (especially of beer) in a single action/without breathing; to chugalug. Usually chanted at the person who is drinking.

   Usage

   • Colloquial
   • Transitive

   Examples

   Chug! Chug! Chug!

   I can't believe he chugged three beers.

5. To function or perform with difficulty, typically due to inadequate resources or performance limitations.

   Usage

   • Intransitive

   Examples

   My game chugs every time too many NPCs are onscreen.

Noun

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

Verb

1. To solicit charitable donations on the street, particularly in a persistent manner.

   Usage

   • UK usage
   • Derogatory
   • Slang
   • Transitive

   Examples

   I got chugged in the town centre today.

Noun

1. the dull explosive noise made by an engine

   Broader terms

   noise

Verb

1. make a dull, explosive sound

   Broader terms

   soundgo

   Examples

   the engine chugged down the street