A close embrace, especially when charged with such an emotion as represented by: affection, joy, relief, lust, anger, agression, compassion, and the like, as opposed to being characterized by formality, equivocation or ambivalence (a half-embrace or "little hug").
"When she heard the good news, she threw her arms around him in a tight hug filled with pure relief."
In plain English: A hug is an act of holding someone close with your arms to show love, comfort, or friendship.
"She gave him a warm hug before he left for work."
Usage: Use "hug" to describe a physical act of embracing someone out of affection or comfort rather than referring to an animal curling up for warmth. This noun specifically denotes the embrace itself, distinguishing it from similar verbs that might imply merely holding onto something tightly without emotional intent.
To crouch; huddle as with cold.
"The children hugged together in a tight circle to stay warm against the biting wind."
In plain English: To hug is to hold someone tightly with your arms around them as a sign of affection or comfort.
"She gave him a big hug when he returned home from his trip."
The word hug first appeared in the mid-16th century as a blend of two older terms: "huck," meaning to crouch or huddle, and the Old Norse verb for comforting. This combination likely arose because people often embrace others when offering comfort derived from their thoughts or feelings.