muggins

[ muhg-inz ]

noun

1. a convention in the card game of cribbage in which a player scores points overlooked by an opponent.
2. a game of dominoes, in which any player who can make the sum of two ends of the line equal five or a multiple of five adds the number so made to their score.
3. British Slang. a fool.

muggins

/ ˈmʌɡɪnz /

noun

1. slang.
   1. a simpleton; silly person
   2. a title used humorously to refer to oneself
2. a variation on the game of dominoes
3. a card game

Word History and Origins

Origin of muggins¹

First recorded in 1850–55; probably special use of proper name; muggins def 3 by association with mug ( def 4 )

Word History and Origins

Origin of muggins¹

C19: probably from the surname Muggins

Example Sentences

“And she’s no one left, so here I am, muggins here, taking her to a laying out when I’ve a million other stones to be lifted off the pile.”

From The New Yorker

My disc jockeying isn't some vanity project to get muggins here back on the idiot box.

From The Guardian

Prisoners don't have geese running around the donjon-keep to pull pens out of, you muggins.

From Project Gutenberg

A minister's wife can't dance anything but the Virginia reel, nor play anything more than muggins.

From Project Gutenberg

"We found Little Blue Flower a sweet little muggins," Beverly told the Indian early in our stay at the fort.

From Project Gutenberg