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Webster 1913 Edition


Smuggle

Smug′gle

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Smuggled
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Smuggling
.]
[Of Low German or Scand. origin; cf. LG.
smuggeln
, D.
smokkelen
, G.
schmuggeln
, Dan.
smugle
, Sw.
smyga
to introduce or convey secretly, Dan.
i smug
secretly, D.
smuigen
to eat in secret, AS.
sm[GREEK]gan
to creep. See
Smock
.]
1.
To import or export secretly, contrary to the law; to import or export without paying the duties imposed by law;
as, to
smuggle
lace
.
2.
Fig.: To convey or introduce clandestinely.

Smug′gle

,
Verb.
I.
To import or export in violation of the customs laws.

Webster 1828 Edition


Smuggle

SMUG'GLE

,
Verb.
T.
[We probably have the root mug, in hugger mugger.]
1.
To import or export secretly goods which are forbidden by the goverment to be imported or exported; or secretly to import or export dutiable goods without paying the duties imposed by law; to run.
2.
To convey clandestinely.

Definition 2024


smuggle

smuggle

English

Alternative forms

  • smuckle (dialectal)

Verb

smuggle (third-person singular simple present smuggles, present participle smuggling, simple past and past participle smuggled)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To import or export, illicitly or by stealth, without paying lawful customs charges or duties
  2. (transitive) To bring in surreptitiously
    • 22 March 2012, Scott Tobias, AV Club The Hunger Games
      While Collins does include a love triangle, a coming-of-age story, and other YA-friendly elements in the mix, they serve as a Trojan horse to smuggle readers into a hopeless world where love becomes a stratagem and growing up is a matter of basic survival.
  3. (slang) To thrash or be thrashed by a bear's claws, or to swipe at or be swiped at by a person's arms in a bearlike manner.

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