Emily Dickinson Lexicon

HUG, v.t. [Dan. heger, to hug, to cherish, Sw. hugna; Dan. huger, to sit squat on the tail. The latter seems to be the G. hocken, to sit squat, to keep close, D. hukken. The sense is to press, and this word may be allied to hedge.]

1. To press close in an embrace. And hugged me in his arms. Shak.
2. To embrace closely; to hold fast; to treat with fondness. We hug deformities if they bear our names. Glanville.
3. To gripe in wrestling or scuffling. To hug the land, in sailing, to sail as near the land as possible. To hug the wind, to keep the ship close-hauled. Mar. Dict.