jug

1 of 2

noun

ˈjəg How to pronounce jug (audio)
plural jugs
Synonyms of jugnext
1
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
b
chiefly British : a small pitcher
2
: jail, prison
3
informal + impolite : breast
—usually plural

jug

2 of 2

verb

jugged; jugging

transitive verb

1
: to stew (something, such as a hare) in an earthenware vessel
2
: jail, imprison

Synonyms of jug

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Noun

Verb

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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
Choose a matching serving bowl or water jug for a coordinating tablescape. — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026 In 2017, internet trolls disrupted an anti-racist art installation with neo-Nazi chants and messily downed jugs of milk to accentuate their white identity. — Hilary Smith, The Conversation, 25 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

Phrases Containing jug

Rhymes for jug

See All Rhymes for jug

Browse Nearby Words

juey
jug
jugal lobe
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Jug.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jug. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

jug

1 of 2 noun
ˈjəg How to pronounce jug (audio)
1
a
: a large deep container with a narrow mouth and a handle
b
: the amount held by a jug
2
: prison sense 2, jail

jug

2 of 2 verb
jugged; jugging
: imprison
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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