I. plug 1 S3 /plʌɡ/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Dutch ; Origin: Middle Dutch plugge ]
1 . ELECTRICITY
a) a small object at the end of a wire that is used for connecting a piece of electrical equipment to the main supply of electricity:
The plug on my iron needs changing.
an electric plug
b) especially British English informal a place on a wall where electrical equipment can be connected to the main electricity supply SYN socket , outlet American English
2 . BATH a round flat piece of rubber used for stopping the water flowing out of a bath or ↑ sink :
the bath plug
3 . ADVERTISEMENT informal a way of advertising a book, film etc by mentioning it publicly, especially on television or radio
put/get in a plug (for something)
During the show she managed to put in a plug for her new book.
4 . IN AN ENGINE informal the part of a petrol engine that makes a ↑ spark , which makes the petrol start burning SYN spark plug :
Change the plugs every 10,000 miles.
5 . pull the plug (on something) informal to prevent a plan, business etc from being able to continue, especially by deciding not to give it any more money:
The Swiss entrepreneur has pulled the plug on any further investment in the firm.
6 . TO FILL A HOLE an object or substance that is used to fill or block a hole, tube etc
plug of
You can fill any holes with plugs of matching wood.
⇨ ↑ earplug
7 . FOR HOLDING SCREWS British English a small plastic tube put in a hole to hold a screw tightly
8 . A PIECE OF SOMETHING a piece of something pressed tightly together:
a plug of tobacco
II. plug 2 BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle plugged , present participle plugging ) [transitive]
1 . ( also plug up ) to fill or block a small hole:
We used mud to plug up the holes in the roof.
2 . to advertise a book, film etc by mentioning it on television or radio:
Arnie was on the show to plug his new movie.
3 . plug the gap to provide something that is needed, because there is not enough:
With so few trained doctors, paramedics were brought in to plug the gap.
4 . American English old-fashioned to shoot someone
plug away phrasal verb
to keep working hard at something
plug away at
If you keep plugging away at it, your English will improve.
plug something ↔ in phrasal verb
to connect a piece of electrical equipment to the main supply of electricity, or to another piece of electrical equipment:
‘Is your printer working?’ ‘Wait a minute – it’s not plugged in.’
plug into something phrasal verb
1 . plug (something) into something to connect one piece of electrical equipment to another, or to be connected:
Your phone can be plugged into the cigarette lighter socket in your car.
Games consoles plug into the back of the TV.
2 . informal to realize that something is available to be used and use it:
A lot of students don’t plug into all the research facilities we have.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ advertise verb [intransitive and transitive] to tell people about a product or service and try to persuade them to buy it, for example in a newspaper, television, or Internet advertisement:
Some universities advertise on television.
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She has signed a deal to advertise the company's haircare products.
▪ promote verb [transitive] to try to increase the sales or popularity of a product or event, for example by selling it at a lower price or talking about it on television:
He's in London to promote his new album.
▪ market verb [transitive] to try to sell a product or service by deciding which type of people are likely to buy it and by making it interesting to them:
The collection is being marketed as clothing for climbers and skiers.
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Most companies have agreed not to market products to children under 12.
▪ publicize ( also publicise British English ) verb [transitive] to tell the public about something by writing about it in newspapers, speaking about it on television etc:
He had done a lot of interviews to publicize his new book.
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The hostages' case has been widely publicized.
▪ hype verb [transitive] informal to try to make people think something is good or important by advertising or talking about it a lot on television, the radio etc. Hype is often used when you do not trust the information:
The boxing match was being hyped as the biggest fight of the decade.
▪ plug verb [transitive] informal to advertise a book, film etc by talking about it on television or radio:
Marc was on the show to plug his new play.