mug up

verb

mugged up; mugging up; mugs up

intransitive verb

British
: to study intensively (as for an examination)

transitive verb

: to work up by study

Examples of mug up in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For the best flavor experience make sure to fill your mug up to the brim, covering all the tiny holes. Nishka Dhawan, USA TODAY, 30 Apr. 2021 Anyone who has ever worked in a cannery knows that 'mug up' is a colloquial term for coffee break. Laine Welch, Anchorage Daily News, 29 Apr. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mug up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1860, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of mug up was circa 1860

Dictionary Entries Near mug up

Cite this Entry

“Mug up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mug%20up. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!