lug

To carry or pull something heavy with difficulty.

• Can you lug this bag upstairs?
• We lugged our equipment across the field.
• She's tired of lugging heavy books around.

How to use it: lug something around (I hate lugging these bags around.); lug something to somewhere (We lugged the boxes to the car.)

Similar words: haul, drag, carry

Common phrases: lug something around, lug something upstairs, lug a suitcase

To make an engine work too hard by running it too slowly for the gear being used.

• Don't lug the engine uphill.
• The engine lugged when I stayed in fifth gear.
• Choose a lower gear to avoid lugging the motor.

Common phrases: lug the engine, lug in gear

To sail with too much sail raised for the wind and weather.

• The yacht began to lug sail.
• They lugged too much canvas in the strong wind.
• The skipper avoided lugging sail as the storm approached.

Similar words: overcanvass

Common phrases: lug sail, lug too much

If a racing horse does this, it pulls toward the inner or outer edge of the track.

• The horse started to lug in.
• She lugged out as the jockey urged her forward.
• A horse lugging toward the rail can interfere with other runners.

How to use it: lug in/out (The horse began to lug out near the finish.)

Similar words: veer, swerve

Common phrases: lug in, lug out

An informal word for an ear or the soft lower part of an ear.

• My left lug is sore.
• Pull your hat down over your lugs.
• He caught his lug while shaving.

Similar words: ear, earlobe

Common phrases: left lug, cold lug, pierced lug

An act of pulling or carrying something heavy with effort.

• It was a hard lug uphill.
• One final lug brought the sack through the door.
• The long lug across the field exhausted us.

Similar words: haul, pull

Common phrases: hard lug, long lug, heavy lug

Something heavy that has to be carried or pulled.

• That pack is a heavy lug.
• He dropped his awkward lug beside the door.
• We each carried a lug up the steep path.

Similar words: load, burden

Common phrases: heavy lug, awkward lug

A demand for money, especially for a political cause.

• They put the lug on him for campaign money.
• The political lug annoyed several business owners.
• She resisted when fundraisers put the lug on her again.

How to use it: put the lug on someone (Party officials put the lug on local business owners.)

Similar words: demand, solicitation

Common phrases: put the lug, political lug