Snug Came From Ships Before Firesides
Snug means cosy and comfortable. The word first described a trim, seaworthy vessel.
Snug means warm, comfortable and closely fitting. Its first recorded use is nautical: a snug ship was one properly prepared for bad weather, with everything stowed and secured. The domestic sense of cosiness grew from that idea of being tightly and safely arranged, and the phrase *snug as a bug in a rug* appears by 1769. In a British pub, the *snug* is a small private room, and *snug* also names the fitted joint in carpentry.
- Cosy. *A snug room.*
- Closely fitting. *A snug fit.*
- A pub room. *The snug.*
- Trim and seaworthy. *A snug ship.*
- Probably Scandinavian. *The 1590s.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | snug | Snug. |
| Adverb | snugly | Snugly. |
| Noun | snug | The snug. |
| Verb | snuggle | To snuggle. |
| Comparative | snugger | Snugger. |
- A snug little cottage.Cosy.
- The lid is a snug fit.Fitting.
- They sat in the snug.Pub.
The pub snug
- A small private room separate from the main bar
- It had its own hatch to the servery
- Used by those who preferred not to be seen drinking
- Often the only room women could use respectably
- Higher prices were sometimes charged for the privacy
Origin uncertain, probably Scandinavian, first recorded in the 1590s of a trim ship.
What did snug first mean?
Trim and seaworthy, describing a ship properly prepared for bad weather.
What is a pub snug?
A small private room with its own serving hatch, historically used by those who preferred not to be seen in the main bar.