chug

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /tʃʌɡ/ UK /tʃʌɡ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to move with or make a dull repeated engine sound; to gulp down a drink

The old steamer chugged slowly out of the harbor.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to move with or make a dull... gulp guzzle quaff swig puff throb

Opposites

sip nurse

Etymology

Of imitative origin, representing the dull, repeated sound of a laboring engine; the 'gulp down' sense is later American slang.

chug onomatopoeic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# chug

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /tʃʌɡ/
**IPA (UK):** /tʃʌɡ/

## Meanings
1. to move with or make a dull repeated engine sound; to gulp down a drink

## Examples
- The old steamer chugged slowly out of the harbor.

## Synonyms
- gulp
- guzzle
- quaff
- swig
- puff
- throb

## Antonyms
- sip
- nurse

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: chug

## Etymology
Of imitative origin, representing the dull, repeated sound of a laboring engine; the 'gulp down' sense is later American slang.

## AI Etymology
Chug is of imitative origin, representing the dull, repeated sound of a laboring engine; the 'gulp down' sense is later American slang. The historical trail runs through chug in onomatopoeic. Its formation is sound-symbolic rather than a regular transparent compound, with the older form echoing the sound named in the history. Used as a verb and noun, chug now means "move with or make a dull repeated engine sound; to gulp down a drink", so the present definition can be read against the older forms and meanings. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the historical form and the modern word chug.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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