thug en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ʈʰəɡ/ (India)
- /θʌɡ/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation, Southern-England)
- /θʊɡ/ (Northern-England)
- thŭg
- /fʌɡ/ Southern England, th-fronting
- /θɐɡ/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
- /fʊɡ/ Northern England, th-fronting
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Borrowed from Hindustani ठग (ṭhag) / ٹھگ (ṭhag, “swindler, fraud, cheat”), further derived from Prakrit 𑀞𑀕 (ṭhaga), of uncertain origin. See there for more. Thuggee was a network of gangs in India from the 17th century to the 19th century who robbed and murdered travellers, often by strangling. During British Imperial rule of India, many Indian words passed into common English, and by 1810 thug referred to a member of these Indian gangs. The sense was adopted more generally as "ruffian, cutthroat, and cruel robber" by 1839. Perhaps related to English thatch, deck.
Meanings
- A person who is a member of a gang or criminal organization.
-
A violent, aggressive, or truculent person.
They call you a land of license—free but to thug and thief.
1915, Cale Young Rice, “My Country”, in Collected Plays and Poems, page 342:I pushed up out of my chaise and headed for the miniten court. Leah handed me her thug as I walked past her.
2021, Anna Durand, Natural Satisfaction:Every summer brought the prospect of the dragonships snaking their way upriver, each vessel filled with thirty or more rapacious thugs.
1999, Robert Lacey, Danny Danziger, The Year 1000: What life was like at the turn of The First Millennium, London: Abacus, published 2000, page 77:
- A criminal that extorts people.
- A person who use intimidation to coerce others.
- (historical) One of a band of assassins formerly active in northern India who worshipped Kali and sacrificed their victims to her.
- (qualifier:African-American Vernacular) One who, usually as a result of social disadvantage, has turned to committing crimes (e.g. selling drugs, robbery, assault, etc.) to make a living; a gangsta.
- An overvigorous plant that spreads and dominates the flowerbed.
- A wooden bat used in the game of miniten, fitting around the player's hand.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| thugs | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
thug it out · thug life · thuggism · thuggery · thuggy · Republithug · thugification · thugduggery · thugess · thuglike · rent-a-thug · thugette · Rethuglican · thugsta · thuggish · thugness · cyberthug · thugdom · thuglet · thugocracy
Descendants
Synonyms
Translations (150)
yi שלאַמער (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sl razbojnik (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · nl schurk (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sh rázbōjnīk (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ga amhas (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · fi kovanaama (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · fr casseur (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · th นักเลง (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · el κακοποιός (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · oc sacamand (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · fr racaille (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hi टपोरी (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · nb bølle (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · be галаварэ́з (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · pl rzezimieszek (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ja 凶悪犯人 (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · nl schoelie (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · be разбо́йнік (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · fr voyou (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hu huligán (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · eo bandito (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ga bithiúnach (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · uk банди́тка (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · pl bandytka (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · nrf poltron (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · fa اراذل (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · mn луйварчин (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · oc malfaràs (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · bg главоре́з (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ru моло́дчик (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · lt banditas (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cy llindagwr (a member of the Thuggee band of assassins) · uk розбі́йник (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · it delinquente (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · bn ঠগ (a member of the Thuggee band of assassins) · de Schläger (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · th นักเลงโต (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · mg mpanendaka (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · pt capanga (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · eu gaizkile (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ka ჩხუბისთავი (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ko 폭력배 (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · it teppista (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · de Schurke (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hi ठग (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hi ठग (a member of the Thuggee band of assassins) · ru разбо́йник (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · tr eşkıya (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · es matón (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cs bandita (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · he אִישׁ זְרוֹעַ (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · fa خلاف کار (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · uk поки́дьок (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · yi שלעגער (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cs gangsterka (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · bg разбо́йничка (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · vi du côn (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hu orgyilkos (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ru головоре́з (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · be разбо́йніца (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ja 殺し屋 (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · pl zbój (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ja サグ (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ab а́уаҩ ле́ишәабааԥс (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · km កាចកោង (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cs hrdlořez (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ur ڈاکو (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · pl zbir (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · mg jiolahy (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · fr coupe-jarret (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · de Randalierer (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ur ٹھگ (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · bg банди́тка (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sh rázbojnica (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cs gangster (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ga maistín (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hu gengszter (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · kn ಕೊಲೆಗಾರ (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · pt malfeitor (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · km អ្នកលេងកាប់ចាក់ (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · fa اوباش (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · pl bandyta (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sh ра́збојница (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ru банди́тка (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · tr haydut (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · km យូកូង (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · be банды́тка (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · oc bandit (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sh ра́збо̄јнӣк (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · bn ঠগ (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · st tsotsi (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cy llindagwriaeth (a member of the Thuggee band of assassins) · uk розбі́йниця (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · fa گانگستر (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · os стъигъӕг (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hy մարդասպան (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · he בִּרְיוֹן (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · arz بلطجي (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cs banditka (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · uk банди́т (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cmn 暴徒 (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · es macarra (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sv skurk (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sl razbojnica (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · bg разбо́йник (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cy thygî (a member of the Thuggee band of assassins) · km តិរច្ឆាន (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · eo brutulo (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · af rampokker (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ja チンピラ (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · de Rowdy (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · fr thug (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sq rrugaç (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · uk горлорі́з (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · oc gusàs (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · av хъачагъ (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sk hrdlorez (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ru разбо́йница (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ta கேடி (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ru банди́т (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hi डाकू (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · pt facínora (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · pt bandido (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · uk по́кидьок (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · fr bandit (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sv gangster (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cy colbiwr (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cy llabwst (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · nb kjeltring (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sv bov (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cmn 歹徒 (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cmn 惡棍 /恶棍 (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ab ауаҩы́цәгьа (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · bn টেঁটন (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hu bandita (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · bg разбо́йница (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · es rufián (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hi मुस्टंडा (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · cy thyg (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ar بَلْطَجِيّ (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hu zsivány (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ur ٹھگ (a member of the Thuggee band of assassins) · kk баскесер (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · be банды́т (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · ka ყაჩაღი (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · bg банди́т (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · uk головорі́з (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · hy ավազակ (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · sv bandit (someone who treats others violently or roughly) · kn ಕೊಲೆಗಡುಕ (someone who treats others violently or roughly)