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Webster 1913 Edition

Hugger-mugger

Hug′ger-mugˊger

,
Noun.
[Scot.
huggrie-muggrie
; Prov. E.
hugger
to lie in ambush,
mug
mist,
muggard
sullen.]
1.
Privacy; secrecy. Commonly in the phrase in hugger-mugger, with haste and secrecy.
[Archaic]
Many things have been done in
hugger-mugger
.
Fuller.

Hug′ger-mugˊger

,
Adj.
1.
Secret; clandestine; sly.
2.
Confused; disorderly; slovenly; mean;
as,
hugger-mugger
doings
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Hugger-mugger

HUG'GER-MUGGER

,
Noun.
[Hugger contains the elements of hug and hedge, and mugger, those of smoke.]
In hugger-mugger, denotes in privacy or secrecy, and the word adverbially used, denotes secretly. [It is a low cant word.]

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