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Glite Dictionary
to mug up

to mug up

8.3
To study a lot in a short time before a test
  • phrasal verb
  • Indian
translation icon : estudiar intensamente
  • She mugged up all the key formulas just in time for her math test.

Examples

  • I had to mug up on world history the night before the exam.

  • She always mugs up before exams.

  • Before the interview, he spent hours mugging up on current affairs.

  • I need to mug up for my math test!

  • Before the final exam, she decided to mug up on all the key concepts from the course.

  • I need to mug up for my history test this weekend to ensure I get a good grade.

  • He spent the night mugging up for the physics exam that he was anxious about.

Synonyms

to read
vsto mug up
  • UK
143 6.0

To study a subject at university for a degree

narrows this to intensive short-term preparation for tests or exams
to get up
vsto mug up
  • UK
34 5.3

To study something quickly before a test

has identical meaning and usage in exam-focused intensive study
to brush up
vsto mug up
22 3.7

Refresh your knowledge or skill by practising and reviewing

focuses on intense study to learn or prepare for an examination
to cram
vsto mug up
15 3.9

Study very hard in a short time for an exam

is equally intensive but not necessarily as last minute or rapid
to hit the books
vsto mug up
  • Informal
12 3.9

To study hard, usually by reading books or notes

emphasizes exam-focused intensive study beyond just starting to read
to bone up
vsto mug up
  • Informal
9 7.6

To study quickly before an exam or important event

is similar but covers intensive study generally, not only very short bursts
to grind away
vsto mug up
  • Informal
1 6.3

Work hard for a long time on something, often before an exam or deadline

focuses on intensive exam preparation even if not relentlessly persistent
to swot
vsto mug up
  • UK
9.1

To study very hard before an exam

is the same intensive exam preparation expressed in another form
to swot up
vsto mug up
  • UK
8.2

Study something a lot in a short time to prepare for an exam

matches that concentrated exam study rather than other study types

Antonyms

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

to neglect
256 3.8

Fail to care for someone or something you should look after

How Thorough

to cram
15 3.9
to mug up
  • Indian
8.3
to study
∞ 1.0
to look up
357 1.4
to skim
1 2.7

Surface Forms

mug up infinitive
mugged up past
mugged up past participle
mugging up present participle
mugs up third person singular

Morphology

mug + up

The verb 'mug' does not transparently mean 'study' for an average B1 learner (it more commonly means 'rob' or is unknown), so adding the particle 'up' (which can signal intensification) does not make the meaning 'study intensively' predictable. The phrase is idiomatic and regionally used for 'cram', so its overall meaning cannot be derived from the constituent words alone.

Etymology

Mug up may come from the image of a mug meaning a cup or an old word for your face or head, and up meaning 'fill completely', like pouring facts into that mug. So the phrase came to mean 'to study something intensively', especially right before an exam.