hug

/hʌɡ/ (bre, ipa) · /hʌɡ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhəg/ (ame, mw)

hug — verb

1. to wrap your arms around someone or something and pull them toward you, which si

1.動詞及物A2
釋義

to wrap your arms around someone or something and pull them toward you, which signals that you like them or want to comfort them

例句

Christopher hugged his mother tightly before boarding the train to Tokyo.

transitive: hug + direct object (person)

After the match ended, the winning team hugged one another in celebration.

同義詞
  • embrace

    more formal than 'hug'; often used in written or literary contexts

  • cuddle

    suggests a longer, softer, more affectionate hug, often while sitting or lying down

  • squeeze

    emphasizes tight pressure, often quick or playful

反義詞
  • push away

    to move someone away from you instead of holding them close

文法句型

hug + noun phrase (person, pet, or object)

用法筆記

Frequently transitive. The direct object is usually a person or a pet. This sense does not take a preposition — you hug someone, not hug with someone.

常見錯誤

❌She hugged with her friend at the airport.
✅She hugged her friend at the airport.
💡'hug' is transitive and takes a direct object without a preposition.
❌He hugged her strong.
✅He hugged her tightly.
💡'tightly' is the correct adverb; 'strong' is an adjective.

2. to keep very close to the side of something while moving alongside it, or to fit

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to keep very close to the side of something while moving alongside it, or to fit closely around the shape of a person or object

例句

The small fishing boat hugged the coastline to stay safe from the rough waves.

hug + coastline (following a path)

Her new silk dress hugged her figure perfectly and made her feel elegant.

clothing + hugs + body (tight fit)

同義詞
  • cling to

    suggests holding on tightly, often because of fear or need

  • follow

    less vivid; simply means to go along without the sense of closeness

  • skirt

    similar meaning of moving along the edge of something, but with less physical closeness

文法句型

object + hugs + surface/path

clothing + hugs + body

用法筆記

The subject is often an item of clothing, a road, a path, or a moving object. For the 'fitting tightly' sub-meaning, the subject is typically an article of clothing describing a close, flattering fit.

常見錯誤

❌The dress hugs on her body.
✅The dress hugs her body.
💡this sense is transitive; no preposition is needed.

3. to hold a belief, hope, memory, or pleasant idea close in your mind and not shar

3.動詞及物C1
釋義

to hold a belief, hope, memory, or pleasant idea close in your mind and not share it with others, because it gives you comfort or satisfaction

例句

Antonia hugged the memory of her grandmother's warm kitchen long after she moved away.

abstract object: memory / belief / hope

Despite the criticism from his colleagues, Mert hugged the belief that his plan would work.

同義詞
  • cherish

    similar in meaning but does not imply secrecy; cherish can be openly expressed

  • nurse

    suggests keeping a feeling alive over time, often a grievance or ambition

  • hold dear

    more general; can apply to both people and abstract things

反義詞
  • abandon

    to give up a belief or hope completely

文法句型

hug + abstract noun (a belief, a hope, a memory, a dream)

用法筆記

The direct object is always an abstract noun such as a feeling, belief, memory, or hope. This sense is formal and literary, often found in written narratives rather than everyday speech.

常見錯誤

❌She hugged a new car in her heart.
✅She hugged the hope of owning a car one day.
💡the object must be an abstract idea, not a concrete object.

hug — noun