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Definition of 'thug'

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thug

(θʌg )
Word forms: plural thugs
countable noun
You can refer to a violent person or criminal as a thug.
[disapproval]
...the cowardly thugs who mug old people.
Synonyms: ruffian, hooligan, tough, heavy [slang]   More Synonyms of thug
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

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thug

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thug in British English

(θʌɡ )
noun
1. 
a tough and violent man, esp a criminal
2. (sometimes capital)
(formerly) a member of an organization of robbers and assassins in India who typically strangled their victims
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
thuggery (ˈthuggery)
noun
thuggish (ˈthuggish)
adjective
Word origin
C19: from Hindi thag thief, from Sanskrit sthaga scoundrel, from sthagati to conceal
Word Frequency

thug in American English

(θʌg )
noun
1.  [also T-]
a member of a former group in India that murdered and robbed in the service of Kali
2. 
a rough, brutal hoodlum, gangster, robber, etc.
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
thuggery (ˈthuggery)
noun
thuggish (ˈthuggish)
adjective
Word origin
Hindi ṭhag, swindler < Sans sthaga, a cheat, rogue, akin to sthagayati, (he) hides < IE base *(s)teg-, to cover > thatch
Word Frequency

thug in American English

(θʌɡ)
noun
1. 
a cruel or vicious ruffian, robber, or murderer
2. (sometimes cap)
one of a former group of professional robbers and murderers in India who strangled their victims
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
thuggery (ˈθʌɡəri)
noun
thuggish
adjective
Word origin
[1800–10; ‹ Hindi thag lit., rogue, cheat]

Examples of 'thug' in a sentence
thug

These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.Read more…
She was brutally attacked by two thugs.
The Sun (2007)
One survivor said they had been attacked by a thug with a baseball bat.
The Sun (2010)
He offered to replace cash cowardly thugs stole from the 82-year-old.
The Sun (2008)
People dressed as thugs, graffiti and a screeching song.
The Sun (2008)

Trends of
thug

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In other languages
thug

British English: thug /θʌɡ/ NOUN
If you refer to someone as a thug, you think they are violent or a criminal.
  • American English: thug /ˈθʌg/
  • Arabic: سَفَّاح
  • Brazilian Portuguese: criminoso
  • Chinese: 暴徒
  • Croatian: siledžija
  • Czech: chuligán
  • Danish: bølle
  • Dutch: misdadiger
  • European Spanish: matón
  • Finnish: kovanaama
  • French: voyou
  • German: Schlägertyp
  • Greek: κακοποιός
  • Italian: delinquente
  • Japanese: 凶悪犯
  • Korean: 흉악한 악당
  • Norwegian: banditt
  • Polish: bandyta
  • European Portuguese: criminoso
  • Romanian: bătăuș
  • Russian: бандит
  • Latin American Spanish: matón
  • Swedish: ligist
  • Thai: อันธพาล
  • Turkish: eşkıya
  • Ukrainian: жлоб
  • Vietnamese: du côn

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Nearby words of
thug

  • thudded
  • thudding
  • thuddingly
  • thug
  • thuggee
  • thuggery
  • thuggish

  • All ENGLISH words that begin with 'T'

Source

Definition of thug from theCollins English Dictionary
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horse or mule?

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eat like a horse eat like a mule

black or green?

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wear the shirt wear the trousers

stomach or throat?

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have a frog in your stomach have a frog in your throat

red or white?

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Apr 27, 2021
Word of the day
rosarium
a rose garden
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Scrabble score
for 'thug':
8

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place or plaice?

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plaice
place
I ordered a fillet of   with rice and vegetables.

pedal or peddle?

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He attempted to pedal his paintings around small London galleries. He attempted to peddle his paintings around small London galleries.

altar or alter?

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The priest stood at the altar The priest stood at the alter

bread or bred?

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bread
bred
She made herself some   and butter.

sun or son?

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son
sun
He shared a pizza with his  .
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