Onomatopoeic, in imitation of a working steam engine. The racial slur sense derives from the stereotype of Native Americans chugging alcohol.
Meanings
(intransitive) To make dull explosive sounds.
(intransitive) To move or travel whilst making such sounds.
The inn also offers adventure packages, including ziplining and a truck safari, where a military vehicle chugs up the side of a muddy mountain. 2008 May 6, Katie Zezima, “Can M-U-D Really Spell M-O-N-E-Y?”, in The New York Times:
We were chugging along a back road when the engine cut out.
(broadly, intransitive) To move or travel at a steady, although not especially fast, pace.
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. 2019 November 21, Samanth Subramanian, “How our home delivery habit reshaped the world”, in The Guardian:
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. 1943 November and December, G. T. Porter, “The Lines Behind the Lines in Burma”, in Railway Magazine, page 325:
As the escort carriers chug away south, their single 5-inch rear guns are now cleared to open fire as the range closes. 2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 24:22 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 03 Nov 2022:
Before the year was out, the girls were out of school and the foursome's "Tell Him" was chuggin’ up the charts. 1990, Wayne Jancik, The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, →ISBN, page 130:
I kept chugging away on ion, adjusting my path so I'd hit perikron in the B ring with orbital velocity. 2008 February 14, James L. Cambias, “Balancing Accounts”, in Fantasy & Science Fiction, volume 114, page 20:
(colloquial, transitive) To drink a large amount (especially of beer) in a single action/without breathing; to chugalug. Usually chanted at the person who is drinking.
I can't believe he chugged three beers.
Chug! Chug! Chug!
(intransitive) To function or perform with difficulty, typically due to inadequate resources or performance limitations.
My game chugs every time too many NPCs are onscreen.
cmn 乾（了） /干（了） (to drink a large amount in a single action) · uk дудлити (to drink a large amount in a single action) · it ingurgitare (to drink a large amount in a single action) · pl wypijać duszkiem (to drink a large amount in a single action) · de puffen (to make dull explosive sounds) · it tracannare (to drink a large amount in a single action) · it crepitare (to make dull explosive sounds) · de auf ex trinken (to drink a large amount in a single action) · fi "juo!, juo!") (to drink a large amount in a single action) · fr caler (to drink a large amount in a single action) · pl warkotać (to move whilst making such sounds) · tr dikmek (to drink a large amount in a single action) · es engullir (to drink a large amount in a single action) · el αγκομαχώ (to move whilst making such sounds) · cmn 一口氣喝完 (to drink a large amount in a single action) · pl dyszeć (to make dull explosive sounds) · pl sapnąć (to make dull explosive sounds) · fi puksuttaa (to move whilst making such sounds) · pl warkotać (to make dull explosive sounds) · it trangugiare (to drink a large amount in a single action) · ru дёрнуть (to drink a large amount in a single action) · fi tuksuttaa (to move whilst making such sounds) · it scoppiettare (to make dull explosive sounds) · ru намахну́ть (to drink a large amount in a single action) · de exen (to drink a large amount in a single action) · fi tuksuttaa (to make dull explosive sounds) · fi horia (to drink a large amount in a single action) · fr boire cul sec (to drink a large amount in a single action) · fi prutkuttaa (to move whilst making such sounds) · cmn 走一個 /走一个 (to drink a large amount in a single action) · pl wypić duszkiem (to drink a large amount in a single action) · da tylle (to drink a large amount in a single action) · da bunde (to drink a large amount in a single action) · ru ёбнуть (to drink a large amount in a single action) · de tuckern (to make dull explosive sounds) · uk цмулити (to drink a large amount in a single action) · pl sapać (to make dull explosive sounds) · ru пыхте́ть (to make dull explosive sounds) · zza qot kerden (to drink a large amount in a single action) · fi horaista (to drink a large amount in a single action) · cmn 一口气喝完 (to drink a large amount in a single action) · da bælle (to drink a large amount in a single action) · it ingollare (to drink a large amount in a single action) · fi puksuttaa (to make dull explosive sounds) · fi pulputtaa (to drink a large amount in a single action) · fi prutkuttaa (to make dull explosive sounds) · tr kafaya dikmek (to drink a large amount in a single action) · pt virar (to drink a large amount in a single action) · fi vetää ykkösellä (to drink a large amount in a single action)