pug

noun

1. Senses relating to someone or something small.

   “She […] tells Fibs, makes Miſchief, buys China, cheats at Cards, keeps a Pug-dog, and hates the Parſons; […]”

   “Meanwhile she arranged her ornaments in the room which she had won too easily. They were strange ornaments to bring on a sea-voyage—china pugs, tea-sets in miniature, […]”

2. Senses relating to someone or something small.
3. (historical)Senses relating to someone or something small.
4. Senses relating to someone or something small.
5. (UK, archaic, regional)Senses relating to someone or something small.

   “Dear, delicate Madam, I am your little Paraquit, your Sparrovv, your Shock, your Pugg, your Squirrel.”

   “Squirrels / Are not uncommon in the plantings on the broad edges, where they may be seen feeding on the deal-apples, as the Broadsmen call the fir-cones; nuts and acorns too they are fond of. […] Stoats sometimes chase them, but "pug" generally manages to escape, an[d] he can get to a tree first—he is a much more daring jumper.”

6. (UK, archaic, regional, specifically)Senses relating to someone or something small.

   “It is to be observed in this experiment, […] that the loss of weight by feeding (tegs or pugs) on turnips, is remarkable: […]”

7. (UK, archaic, obsolete, regional, specifically)Senses relating to someone or something small.

   “[…] I heard her call him dear pug, and found him to be her favourite monkey.”

   “Its proper Povver to hurt, each Creature feels, / Bulls aim their Horns, and Aſſes lift their Heels, / 'Tis a Bear's Talent not to kick, but hug, / And no Man vvonders he's not ſtung by Pug: […]”

   “Take avvay the pug, ſaid I, to the attendants—Take it avvay vvhile any of it is left—They reſcued the ſtill ſmiling babe, and run avvay vvith it.”

   “Or, is the Monkey sick, he takes his bed; / Old Slop is sent for, to prescribe for Pug.— […]”

8. (UK, archaic, obsolete, regional, specifically)Senses relating to someone or something small.

   “[T]here is a dead silence, till pug is well out of cover, and the whole pack well in: then cheer the hounds with tally ho! till your lungs crack. Away he goes in gallant style, and the whole field is hard up, till pug takes a stiff country: […]”

   “That spell was broken by the sight of poor wearied pug, his once gracefully-floating brush all draggled and drooping, as he toiled up the sheep-paths toward the open down above.”

9. (UK, rare, regional)Senses relating to someone or something small.
10. (US, regional)Senses relating to someone or something small.
11. (obsolete)Senses relating to someone or something small.

    “Satan. The great diuell. / Pvg. The leſſe diuell.”

    “In Iohn Mileſius any man may reade / Of Diuels in Sarmatia honored, / Call'd Kottri, or Kibaldi; ſuch as vvee / Pugs and Hob-goblins call.”

    “This is your Buſineſs Good Pug Robin, / And your Diverſion, dull Dry Bobbing: / T' intice Fanaticks in the Dirt, / And vvaſh 'em clean in Ditches for't.”

12. (UK, historical)Senses relating to people.

    “Procedure would vary a little from household to household. Thus, the roast might be ceremonially borne out ahead of the departing ‘Pugs,’ or it might be left behind so that the lower servants could have second helpings.”

13. (obsolete)Senses relating to people.

    “[R]emember the Lo[rd] Admyrall [Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham] and the Lord Threasurer [Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset] with a couple of Pugges or some vscough baugh [i.e., usquebaugh or whiskey] or some such toyes, it would shew that you do not neglect them, whoe, I protest, are to you wonderfull kynde.”

    “So euery lip has his Lettice to himſelfe: […] the VVeſterne-man his Pug, the Seruing-man his Punke, […]”

    “In the vigor of his age he married Gargamelle, daughter to the King of the Parpaillons, a jolly pug, and well mouthed wench.”

    “[C]ome, let's to bed—you Fubbs, you Pugg you—you little Puſs—Purree Tuzzey—I am a Senator.”

14. (endearing, obsolete)Senses relating to people.

    “I haue had foure huſbands my ſelfe. The firſt I called, Svveete Duck, the ſecond, Deare Heart; the third, Prettie Pugge: But the fourth, moſt ſvveete, deare, prettie, all in all: he vvas the verie cockeall of a huſband.”

    “She ſings. / VVell met, pug, the pearle of beauty: vmh, vmh. / Hovv novv ſir knave, you forget your dutie, vmh, vmh.”

    “Marmouſelle: f. A little puppie, or pug to play vvith.”

15. (obsolete)Senses relating to people.

    “Dares […] [W]ilt thou neuer trauell? / Epi[ton]. Yes in a VVeſterne barge, vvhen vvith a good vvinde and luſtie pugges, one may goe ten miles in tvvo daies.”

    “[E]uen the Weſterne Pugs receiuing mony here, haue tyed it in a bag at the end of their barge, and ſo trailed it through the Thames, leaſt pleague ſores ſticking vpon ſhillings, […]”

    “Puſh^([sic – meaning pish]); your VVeſterne pug [misprinted as png].”

16. (obsolete)Senses relating to people.

    “[Ulysses] ty'd his deafen'd Sailors (vvhile he paſs'd / The dreadful Lady's Lodgings) to the Maſt, / And rather venture drovvning, than to vvrong / The Sea-pugs chaſte Ears vvith a bavvdy Song: […]”

17. (Internet, alt-of)Alternative letter-case form of PuG (“a group of players who are unknown to each other, grouped together to work toward a short-term goal such as completing a dungeon or a raid”).
18. The footprint or pawprint of an animal; a pugmark.

    “[T]here were the broad, deep puggs of a tiger, up and down the nullah, in the dry sand, near the water's edge, of all ages, from the week, perhaps, up to the unmistakeable fresh puggs of last night.”

    “The goat has a square pug with blunt points to his toes, which are always held apart. The sheep's pug is more like that of the boar, being longer than the goat's. […] The boar's pug is distinguished from that of the sow by being much wider in the heel, and having the toes more open, and the rudimentary toes marking the ground more widely apart.”

    “[D]istinct pugs are found in the dust that surrounds the small swimming-pool which, like amniotic fluid, steeps the guests at their own body temperature. The host is not surprised; it has happened before: the lionesses must have come down to quench their thirst their feasting had given them.”

19. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, informal)Clipping of pugilist (“one who fights with their fists, especially a professional prize fighter; a boxer”).

    “Anyhow I found myself facin' the pug, seein' bright red, and inclined to fight a dozen. I didn't last for more than one round—my game leg cramped me, I suppose. I got one or two on his ugly face, and then I suppose I took a knock-out.”

    “He [Maxie Rosenbloom] never trained for his characters either: with his slurred speech and disfigured mug he usually portrayed a punch-drunk ex-pug or comic tough guy, roles in which he was a natural.”

20. (countable, uncountable)Clay, soil, or other material which has been mixed and worked until flexible, soft, and free from air pockets and thus suitable for making bricks, pottery, etc.; also, any other material with a similar consistency or function, especially (Australia) auriferous (“gold-bearing”) clay.

    “The walls of the house were built of "pug," which means simply well-pounded mud, and has the disadvantage of refusing to adhere firmly to the frames of doors and casements, so that the banging of either, in windy weather, is apt to bring large pieces of the material crumbling down, and the house never looks tidy.”

21. (abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable)Ellipsis of pug mill (“kind of mill for grinding, mixing, and working clay”).
22. (England, Scotland, UK, Wales, Western, archaic, countable, regional, uncountable)The residue left after pressing apples for cider; pomace.
23. (England, Scotland, UK, Wales, Western, countable, obsolete, regional, uncountable)Often in the plural: the husks and other refuse removed from grain by winnowing; chaff.

    “Radiſh ſeed vvould vvillingly be ſovvne in a looſe or light ground, and natherleſſe moiſt enough: it cannot abide danke mucke, but contenteth it ſelfe vvith rotten chaffe or pugs, and ſuch like plaine mullock.”

    “The pugg, i.e. the refuſe corne left at winnowinge.”

24. (Internet, abbreviation, acronym, alt-of)Acronym of pickup group (“group of players who are unknown to each other, grouped together to work toward a short-term goal, such as completing a dungeon or a raid”).

verb

1. (British, India, obsolete, rare, transitive)To track (an animal) by following pawprints; also (by extension) to track (a person) by following footprints.

   “Wishing to track a good boar that had got away through some thick cover, we called up the headman of the beat (a man lent to us by a friend) and asked him if he could pug. He was a havildar (sergeant) of police. He replied, 'That is my regular business, sahib; of course I can pug. My work is pugging criminals.'”

2. (rare, transitive)To hit or punch (someone or something); also, to poke (someone or something).

   “Agosh! I long to try a bout / With zom o' Burdett's rabble rout; / I'd quickly pug their guts: / I'd gee mun zich a lammin [i.e., violent] lick, / I'd make mun of elections zick; / I'd gee mun all the butts.”

3. (transitive)To fill or stop up (a space) with pug (noun etymology 5, noun sense 1), clay, sawdust, or other material by tamping; (specifically) to fill in (the space between joists of a floor, a partition, etc.) with some material to deaden sound, make fireproof, etc.

   “Forbid it Venus! From the venal Fair / Snatch every charm, to Hay convert her Locks; / Pug up her nose, and pug-like make her stare; / And pit her pimpled visage with small-pox.”

4. (transitive)To mix and work (wet clay) until flexible, soft, and free from air pockets and suitable for making bricks, pottery, etc.

   “to pug clay ready for shaping”

5. (Australia, New-Zealand, archaic, transitive)Of cattle, etc.: to trample (the ground, a place, etc.) until it becomes muddy and soft; to poach.
6. (England, also, archaic, figuratively, regional, transitive)To pack or tamp (something) into a small space.
7. (England, also, archaic, figuratively, intransitive, regional)To pack or tamp into a small space.
8. (England, Scotland, Wales, Western, transitive)To pull or tug (something).

   “George pugg'd clover in the forenoon.”

   “Nae thing was prosperin’ there and thrivin’, / But tirlin’ roofs and rafter-rivin’, / And pullin’ down and puggin’; […]”

   “Now, surry [sir], where be you coming scoating [sliding] to with that 'orse? Pug your right rein a bit, and give we some room.”

9. (England, Scotland, Wales, Western, obsolete, transitive)To spoil (something) by touching too much.

   “["B]e sure not to wet it up too much; make it into twelve doughboys" (dumplings). / "I'm so heavy-handed," Jane remarked at this point, "I always spoil that sort of cookery." / "Tell about heavy-handed!" cried Betsy; "I'll answer for it, I'll soon put you in the way of being light-handed! You only want to learn to handle things without pugging and pawing them about too much."”

10. (England, Scotland, Wales, Western, intransitive)Followed by at: to pull or tug.
11. (Internet, transitive)To participate in structured content of an online game as part of a pickup group.