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thugA violent person, especially a criminal

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: A violent person, especially a criminal

Pronunciation (IPA): /θʌɡ/

Example Sentences

  • The movie villain hired a bunch of thugs to do his dirty work.
  • My cat acts like a thug, stealing food from other pets.
  • He looked like a thug but was actually a gentle kindergarten teacher.

thug

NOUN

[/θʌɡ/]

A violent person, especially a criminal

A violent person, especially a criminal
💡 Concept

A violent person, especially a criminal

A thug finds peace in a hug and mug
🎵 Rhyme

A thug finds peace in a hug and mug

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/θʌɡ/
🇬🇧 UK/θʌɡ/

🌳Etymology

Rootthug

Origin

The word derives from Hindi thag, meaning 'to deceive or swindle.' It specifically refers to members of Thuggee, a organized criminal sect active in 19th-century India who worshipped the Hindu goddess Kali and murdered travelers through strangulation to rob them.

Breakdown

thag (Hindi: to deceive, cheat) + -ue/-ee (Hindi suffix denoting practitioners or followers), evolving into English thug to mean a violent criminal or ruffian.

🎵Rhyme

hugbugmugrug
hug
bug
mug
rug

🔗Collocations

street thug
hired thug
thug life
petty thug
dangerous thug

📝Examples

The movie villain hired a bunch of thugs to do his dirty work.

😄 Fun example

My cat acts like a thug, stealing food from other pets.

😄 Fun example

He looked like a thug but was actually a gentle kindergarten teacher.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

gangsterhooligancriminalruffianbully

Antonyms

gentlemanpacifistpeacemaker

Related

violencecrimeintimidategang

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