/ hʌg; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( -gg- )
1.
to put your arms around sb and hold them tightly, especially to show that you like or love them
SYN embrace :
[ vn ]
They hugged each other.
She hugged him tightly.
[ v ]
They put their arms around each other and hugged.
2.
[ vn ] to put your arms around sth and hold it close to your body :
She sat in the chair, hugging her knees.
He hugged the hot-water bottle to his chest.
3.
[ vn ] ( of a path, vehicle, etc. ) to keep close to sth for a distance :
The track hugs the coast for a mile.
4.
[ vn ] to fit tightly around sth, especially a person's body :
figure-hugging jeans
■ noun
an act of putting your arms around sb and holding them tightly, especially to show that you like or love them :
She gave her mother a big hug.
He stopped to receive hugs and kisses from the fans.
—see also bear hug
••
WORD ORIGIN
mid 16th cent.: probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Norwegian hugga comfort, console.