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Muggins
01
a person easily tricked or taken advantage of, especially the one left doing unwanted work
Dialect
British
Informal
Grammatical Information
Animacy status
Human
Composition
Simple
Countable
Plural form
mugginses
What is the origin of the term "muggins" and how is it used?
"Muggins" is a slang term that appeared in English in the 19th century, originally in Britain, used to describe a person easily tricked, duped, or taken advantage of—especially someone left doing unwanted or tedious work. The term likely arose as a humorous or ironic label for a gullible or unlucky person. It is used in informal, often teasing or mildly critical contexts, such as conversation, games, or casual writing. The term is mildly derogatory and usually playful rather than harsh; its offensiveness depends on tone and context.
Examples
Muggins here ended up paying for everyone's drinks again.



























