verb
mug
To attack and rob someone in a public place.
Two men mug a tourist outside the train station.
Etymology
The robbery verb developed through slang uses involving striking or attacking a person. It became the term for assaulting people in order to rob them in a public place.
More examples
- Someone mugged her on the sidewalk and took her purse.
- He was mugged while walking home from work.
- The police caught the gang mugging people near the park.
Forms
mug · mugs · mugged · mugging
mugger noun — Someone who attacks and robs people in public.
mugging noun — An attack involving robbery in a public place.
Similar words
- rob
- Broader; does not necessarily involve physical attack or a public place.
- hold up
- Emphasizes robbery by threats, often with a weapon.