plug

UK: /ˈplʌg/ US: /plʌg/ ,(plug)

Inflections of 'plug' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

plugs

v 3rd person singular

plugging

v pres p

plugged

v past

plugged

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

plug /plʌg/   n., v., plugged, plug•ging. 
n. [countable]

1. a piece of wood or other material used to stop up or block a hole or opening, as in a pipe, etc.:
   He put plugs in his ears to keep out the noise.
2. Electricity an attachment at the end of an electrical cord, inserted into a socket for electric power.
3. Automotive spark plug (def. 1).
4. a fireplug;
   hydrant.
5. Informal Terms the favorable mention of a product, etc., as in a television interview;
   advertisement:
   put in a plug for her new book.

v. 

6. to (cause to) be stopped (up) or filled with or as if with a plug: [no object]
   Her ears plugged up when she flew in airplanes.
   [~ + up + object]
   The high altitude plugged up her ears.
   [~ + object + up]
   Something was plugging her sinuses up.
   [~ + object]
   to plug a leak.
7. to insert a plug into:
   [~ + object] Plug the computer into that outlet over there.
8. Informal Terms to mention (a product) favorably, as in a television interview:
   [~ + object] kept plugging his new book instead of answering the questions.
9. Slang Terms [~ + object] to shoot with a bullet.
10. to work with persistence on something:
    [no object* ~ (+ away/along)] She plugged away at a novel for years.
11. plug in:
    • Electricity to connect to an electrical power source: [~ + in + object]
      First, plug in the monitor and turn it on.
      [~ + object + in]
      It won't go on if you haven't plugged it in.

Idioms

12. pull the plug,[Informal.]
    • Idioms [~ + on] to bring to an end:
      Congress pulled the plug on that plan.
    • Idioms [no object] to disconnect life-supporting equipment from (a patient who has no chance of recovering from illness):
      Pull the plug if the other choice is spending years in a coma.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

plug  (plug), n., v., plugged, plug•ging. 
n. 

1. a piece of wood or other material used to stop up a hole or aperture, to fill a gap, or to act as a wedge.
2. a core or interior segment taken from a larger matrix.
3. Electricity a device to which may be attached the conductors of a cord and which by insertion in a jack, or screwing into a receptacle, establishes contact.
4. Automotive See spark plug (def. 1).
5. a fireplug or hydrant.
6. a cake of pressed tobacco.
7. a piece of tobacco cut off for chewing.
8. Informal Terms the favorable mention of something, as in a lecture, radio show, etc.;
   advertisement;
   recommendation:
   The actress was happy to give her new show a plug.
9. Sport [Angling.] an artificial lure made of wood, plastic, or metal, and fitted with one or more gang hooks, used chiefly in casting.
10. Geology neck (def. 14).
11. [Slang.] a worn-out or inferior horse.
12. Informal Terms a shopworn or unsalable article.
13. Botany a small piece of sod used esp. for seeding a lawn.
14. Surgery a patch of scalp with viable hair follicles that is used as a graft for a bald part of the head. Cf. hair transplant. 
15. Slang Terms punch¹ (def. 1).
16. Metallurgy
    • a mandrel on which tubes are formed.
    • a punch on which a cup is drawn.
    • a protrusion on a forging die for forming a recess in the work.
    • a false bottom on a die.
17. Building Also called dook. a small piece of wood inserted into masonry as a hold for a nail.
18. Building [Masonry.] See under plug and feathers. 
19. Clothing Also called plug hat. a man's tall silk hat.
20. pull the plug on, [Informal.]
    • Idioms to discontinue or terminate:
      The government has threatened to pull the plug on further subsidies.
    • Idioms to disconnect life-sustaining equipment from (a moribund patient).

v.t. 

21. to stop or fill with or as if with a plug (often fol. by up):
    to plug up a leak; plug a gap.
22. to insert or drive a plug into.
23. to secure with or as if with a plug.
24. to insert (something) as a plug.
25. to remove a core or a small plug-shaped piece from.
26. to remove the center of (a coin) and replace it with a baser metal:
    a plugged nickel.
27. Informal Terms to mention (something) favorably, as in a lecture, radio show, etc.:
    He says he will appear if he can plug his new TV series.
28. Slang Terms to punch with the fist.
29. Slang Terms to shoot or strike with a bullet.

v.i. 

30. to work with stubborn persistence (often fol. by along or away):
    You're doing a fine job—just keep plugging. Some writers will plug away at the same novel for several years.
31. Informal Terms to publicize insistently:
    Whenever he gets the chance, he's plugging for his company.
32. Slang Terms to shoot or fire shots.
33. Electricity plug in:
    • to connect to an electrical power source:
      Plug the TV set in over there.
    • [Informal.] to add or include;
      incorporate:
      They still have to plug in more research data.
34. Electricity plug into:
    • to connect or become connected by or as if by means of a plug:
      The device will plug into any convenient wall outlet. The proposed new departments would eventually plug into the overall organizational plan.
    • Informal Terms to feel an affinity for;
      like;
      understand:
      Some kids just don't plug into sports in school.
35. plug up, to become plugged:
    The drain in the sink plugs up every so often.

• Dutch; cognate with German Pflock
• 1620–30

plug′ga•ble, adj. 
plug′ging•ly, adv. 
plug′less, adj. 
plug′like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

plug / plʌɡ/ noun

1. a piece of wood, cork, or other material, often cylindrical in shape, used to stop up holes and gaps or as a wedge for taking a screw or nail
2. a device having one or more pins to which an electric cable is attached: used to make an electrical connection when inserted into a socket
3. Also called: volcanic plug a mass of solidified magma filling the neck of an extinct volcano
4. See sparking plug
5. a cake of pressed or twisted tobacco, esp for chewing
6. a small piece of such a cake
7. a recommendation or other favourable mention of a product, show, etc, as on television, on radio, or in newspapers

verb (plugs, plugging, plugged)

1. (transitive) to stop up or secure (a hole, gap, etc) with or as if with a plug
2. (transitive) to insert or use (something) as a plug: to plug a finger into one's ear
3. (transitive) to make favourable and often-repeated mentions of (a song, product, show, etc), esp on television, on radio, or in newspapers
4. (transitive) to shoot with a gun: we plugged six rabbits
5. (transitive) to punch or strike
6. (intr; followed by along, away, etc) to work steadily or persistently

Etymology: 17th Century: from Middle Dutch plugge; related to Middle Low German plugge, German Pflock

ˈplugger noun