Attacking and robbing someone in the street, usually suddenly and with force or threat.
From 'mug' (to attack), which possibly comes from 'mug' meaning 'face' — because you'd see the robber's face up close, or from old cant slang. The term became common in the 1800s.
The word 'mugging' became common exactly when gas street lights were installed in cities in the 1800s-1900s, because suddenly there were dark streets where attackers could hide — technology and crime evolved together!
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