n. & v.
--n.
1. a piece of solid material fitting tightly into a hole, used to fill a gap or cavity or act as a wedge or stopper.
2 a a device of metal pins in an insulated casing fitting into holes in a socket for making an electrical connection, esp. between an appliance and the mains. b colloq. an electric socket.
3 sparking-plug (see SPARK(1)).
4 colloq. a piece of (often free) publicity for an idea, product, etc.
5 a mass of solidified lava filling the neck of a volcano.
6 a cake or stick of tobacco; a piece of this for chewing.
7 fire-plug.
--v. (plugged, plugging)
1. tr. (often foll. by up) stop (a hole etc.) with a plug.
2 tr. sl. shoot or hit (a person etc.).
3 tr. colloq. seek to popularize (an idea, product, etc.) by constant recommendation.
4 intr. colloq. (often foll. by at) work steadily away (at).
Phrases and idioms:
plug in connect electrically by inserting a plug in a socket. plug-in adj. able to be connected by means of a plug. plug-ugly US sl. n. (pl. -ies) a thug or ruffian.
--adj. villainous-looking.
Derivatives:
plugger n.
Etymology: MDu. & MLG plugge, of unkn. orig.