jug

1 of 2

noun

ˈjəg

plural jugs

Synonyms of jug

a(1)

: a large deep container (as of glass, earthenware, or plastic) with a narrow mouth and a handle

(2)

: the contents of such a container : jugful

chiefly British : a small pitcher

: jail, prison

informal + impolite : breast

—usually plural

jug

2 of 2

verb

jugged; jugging

transitive verb

: to stew (something, such as a hare) in an earthenware vessel

: jail, imprison

Examples of jug in a Sentence

Noun some no-good fellow who had spent most of his life in and out of the county jug put a jug of milk on the table Verb the luckless crooks got jugged before they knew what hit them

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.

Noun

When a friend pointed out some weighted bags lining the path at the bottom of the staircase one day, the siblings quickly abandoned the water jug idea. — Jenna Belhumeur, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Distilled water can be purchased in gallon jugs, which should last you quite a while to keep one Venus flytrap hydrated. — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2026

Verb

In 2022, authorities charged Carlos Rusi and three other Houston men with a bank jugging case in Burbank, California, according to FOX 26. — Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025 Bank jugging occurs when suspects watch ATMs and banks and then follow people who withdraw cash to other places and then try to rob them. — Gabrielle Chenault, The Tennessean, 13 May 2024 See All Example Sentences for jug

Word History

Etymology

Noun

perhaps from Jug, nickname for Joan

First Known Use

Noun

1538, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Verb

1747, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of jug was in 1538

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

juey

jug

jugal lobe

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Jug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jug. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

jug

1 of 2 noun

ˈjəg

: a large deep container with a narrow mouth and a handle

: the amount held by a jug

: prison sense 2, jail

jug

2 of 2 verb

jugged; jugging

: imprison

jug

noun

verb

Synonyms of jug

Examples of jug in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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jug

noun

verb

Synonyms of jug

Examples of jug in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing jug

Rhymes for jug

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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