chug
verbEtymology Onomatopoeic, in imitation of a working steam engine. The racial slur sense derives from the stereotype of Native Americans chugging alcohol.
1
To make dull explosive sounds.
2
To move or travel whilst making such sounds.
- We were chugging along a back road when the engine cut out.
- The inn also offers adventure packages, including ziplining and a truck safari, where a military vehicle chugs up the side of a muddy mountain.2008 May 6, Katie Zezima, “Can M-U-D Really Spell M-O-N-E-Y?”, in The New York Times:
3
Broadly To move or travel at a steady, although not especially fast, pace.
- Outside, beyond the sun-baked station yard, a rice mill chugged away in the distance, and sweating coolies unloaded bags of rice from creaking bullock carts.1943 November and December, G. T. Porter, “The Lines Behind the Lines in Burma”, in Railway Magazine, page 325:
- Before the year was out, the girls were out of school and the foursome's "Tell Him" was chuggin’ up the charts.1990, Wayne Jancik, The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, →ISBN, page 130:
3 more examples
- As the escort carriers chug away south, their single 5-inch rear guns are now cleared to open fire as the range closes.2019 February 27, Drachinifel, 24:22 from the start, in The Battle of Samar - Odds? What are those?, archived from the original on 03 Nov 2022:
- I kept chugging away on ion, adjusting my path so I'd hit perikron in the B ring with orbital velocity.2008 February 23, James L. Cambias, “Balancing Accounts”, in Fantasy & Science Fiction, volume 114, page 20:
- For thousands of years, human progress was indexed to the ease and speed of our mobility: our capacity to walk on two legs, and then to ride on animals, sail on boats, chug across the land and fly through the air, all to procure for ourselves the food and materials we wanted.2019 November 21, Samanth Subramanian, “How our home delivery habit reshaped the world”, in The Guardian:
4
Colloquial To drink a large amount (especially of beer) in a single action/without breathing; to chugalug. Usually chanted at the person who is drinking.
- Chug! Chug! Chug!
- I can't believe he chugged three beers.
5
Video games To function or perform with difficulty, typically due to inadequate resources or performance limitations.
- My game chugs every time too many NPCs are onscreen.
- Derived terms
- butt chug, chug away, chuggable, chugger, chuggingly, plug and chug