n. [ Hind. thag a deceiver, robber. ] 1. One of an association of robbers and murderers in India who practiced murder by stealthy approaches, and from religious motives. They have been nearly exterminated by the British government. [ 1913 Webster ]
2. An assassin; a ruffian; a rough. “Thugs and midnight rounders.” The Century. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ] [ 1913 Webster ]
n. [ Hind. &tsdot_;hagī. ] The practice of secret or stealthy murder by Thugs. “One of the suppressors of Thuggee.” J. D. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]
[社鼠城狐, shè shǔ chéng húㄕㄜˋ ㄕㄨˇ ㄔㄥˊ ㄏㄨˊ] lit. rat in a country shrine, fox on town walls; fig. unprincipled thugs who abuse others' power to bully and exploit people