Dug Meaning
/dʌɡ/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbsimple past and past participle of dig (replacing earlier digged)
nounA mammary gland on a domestic mammal with more than two breasts.
Sentence Examples
The boy dug a grave for his dog that had died.
The boy dug a grave for his dead pet.
He dug a deep hole in the garden.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The treasure hunter ____ a deep hole beneath the old oak tree.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The boy ____ a grave for his dog that had died.
Word Origin & History
From earlier dugge ("pap, teat"; compare also English dialectal ducky, dukky (“the female breast”)), apparently connected to Danish dægge (“to suckle”), Swedish dägga (“to suck”), Old English dēon (“to suckle”). More at doe. Compare also doug.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Horatio: This Lapvving runs avvay vvith the ſshell on his head.
Hamlet: He did complie with his Dugge before hee ſuck't it: […]"
— c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 280, column 1:
"First Pig.
I suck, but no milk will come from the dug."
— 1820, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Oedipus Tyrannus; Or, Swellfoot The Tyrant: A Tragedy in Two Acts:
"Ah! that Deceit ſhould ſteale ſuch gentle ſhape,
And vvith a vertuous Vizor hide deepe vice.
He is my ſonne, I, and therein my ſhame,
Yet from my dugges, he drew not this deceit"
— c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 183, column 2:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The treasure hunter ____ a deep hole beneath the old oak tree.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The boy ____ a grave for his dog that had died.