thug
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(thŭg) 
n.
thuggish thug'gish adj.
n.
- A cutthroat or ruffian; a hoodlum.
- also Thug One of a band of professional assassins formerly active in northern India who worshiped Kali and offered their victims to her.
[Hindi ṭhag, perhaps from Sanskrit sthagaḥ, a cheat, from sthagati, sthagayati, he conceals.]
thuggery thug'ger·y n.thuggish thug'gish adj.
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thug
Roget's Thesaurus:
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thug
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Thugs (thŭgz), former Indian religious sect of murderers and robbers, also called Phansigars [stranglers]. Membership was primarily hereditary and included both Hindus and Muslims, but all were devotees of the Hindu goddess Kali and committed their murders as sacrifices to her. A pickax (representing the tooth of Kali, which she was said to have bestowed upon the organization) was consecrated after the victim's grave had been dug with it. For most of the year Thugs followed ordinary occupations, but in the autumn they went about in bands, disguised as merchants or religious mendicants. When they encountered wealthy travelers, they would ingratiate themselves and await an opportunity to kill. The murder was effected by strangling the victim with a scarf reserved for the purpose. Women and members of certain low castes, such as sweepers, washermen, and musicians, were usually exempted from attack. The Thugs, whose activities are known as far back as the 13th cent., were protected by their strong organization and by local officials with whom they would divide the spoils. Early in the period of British rule in India the decision was made to destroy the Thugs. Sir William Sleeman accomplished the repression (1829-48) by mass arrests and executions.
Bibliography
See G. L. Bruce, The Stranglers (1969).
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A usually attractive invasive plant that overwhelms more fragile specimens in its vicinity. In the right place and under the right conditions, thugs can be desirable garden perennials.
thug
noun
Word origin: The Thugs were an organized cult of professional robbers and assassins whose grisly speciality was strangling their victims. They operated in India from around the 13th century until their practice, known as thuggee, was finally stamped out by the British in the 1830s. 19th century: from Hindi thag 'thief', from Sanskrit sthaga 'scoundrel', from sthagati 'to conceal'
noun
Word origin: The Thugs were an organized cult of professional robbers and assassins whose grisly speciality was strangling their victims. They operated in India from around the 13th century until their practice, known as thuggee, was finally stamped out by the British in the 1830s. 19th century: from Hindi thag 'thief', from Sanskrit sthaga 'scoundrel', from sthagati 'to conceal'
| thapparh, thaiyee, thaiya | |
| tikka, tilak, timepass |
Random House Word Menu:
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categories related to 'thug'
- Morality or Character
- Criminals - thug: brutal, petty criminal; professional strangler
- Violent Persons - thug: brutal hoodlum, thief, or murderer, esp. gang member
See crossword solutions for the clue Translations:
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Thug
Dansk (Danish)
n. - bandit, røver, bølle
Français (French)
n. - casseur, voyou
Deutsch (German)
n. - Rowdy, Rohling, Thug (Mitglied einer ind. Raub- u. Mordbande)
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - μαχαιροβγάλτης, κακοποιός, μπράβος, τραμπούκος
Italiano (Italian)
malvivente, criminale, poco di buono
Português (Portuguese)
n. - bandido (m), assassino (m), capanga (m)
Русский (Russian)
хулиган, головорез, бандит
Español (Spanish)
n. - criminal, gamberro
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
恶棍, 凶汉, 刺客, 暴徒
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 惡棍, 凶漢, 刺客, 暴徒
한국어 (Korean)
n. - 자객, 흉한, 종교적 암살단원
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 絞殺強盗団員, 凶徒, 殺し屋, 人殺し
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) قاطع ألطريق, السفاك, السفاح
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - בריון, אלם, פושע
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