In my last contribution I mentioned mugs, a common drinking vessel. However the word «mug» has several other meanings. The English language has a vast number of words to call upon but perversely gives some of them several, often totally unrelated, meanings. «Mug» is one such word.
I went to the shop yesterday and bought a new mug. The shopkeeper told me that it was one of only two left and it was a very rare design. So I bought one. On the way home three men barred my way. As I looked up into their ugly mugs, one of them pushed me to the ground. They robbed me but worse, my rare mug was smashed. I went to the police station and reported the crime. «I’ve been mugged» I said. The police told me to look at several books containing mug-shots of known local criminals to see if I could identify the mugger. I felt like a proper mug as I could not pick out my assailants.
Later that day I went back to the shop, determined to replace my smashed mug. While I was paying for it I noticed that one of the muggers was in the back of the shop. He must be the shop keeper’s son I thought. I called the police and he was arrested. It turned out that he was one of the muggers who had mugged me. I will now have the satisfaction of seeing my mugger’s ugly mugs behind bars.
Confused? Nouns:
Mug — a vessel for drinking out of
Mug — someone’s face(usually preceded with ugly)
Mug — a fool
Mug-shot — photo of someone’s face usually a felon, kept on file by the police
Mugger — someone who commits a mugging.
Verbs:
To mug — a street robbery usually with violence, or the threat of it
To mug up — to study or revise
So you had better mug up on your mugs or you will look a proper mug.
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