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Chris -- 2018-04-11
I ran across this substitution in an email from my daughter’s school regarding dress code, where “tugged” is used instead of “tucked”:
“6. Shirts must be tugged in at all times.”
Google shows:
“pleated pants look much nicer with tugged in dress shirts” – http://www.cheap-neckties.com/blog/wrap … ttire.html
“belt matching the shoes, and a tugged-in polo shirt.” – http://hubpages.com/hub/dressetiquette
Plus a lot of blog entries and entries on “answer” sites show this usage.
Perhaps it stems from the association with pulling the shirt down (tugging it) before tucking it?
e.g. use of “tug” in context: “With Bashful Bump Maternity Bodysuits, you’ll never have to tug your shirt down again”
This may argue for a spell check issue for certain instances :
“bit of a tail at the back which is easier for tucking in and will ensure you stay tugged in for longer.” – http://www.amalfishirts.com.au/business … d-you-buy/
..but given the frequency in postings where spell check is not the norm, I’d say there are quite a few folks using this…
Here is use referring to stomach instead of shirt! “just taking a protracted breather and attempting to tug in your stomach muscle tissues properly.” – http://www.basearticles.com/Art/32710/9 … ickly.html
Only found a couple similar to that.
Only found one instance referring to the British expression “tuck in” regarding your meal: “Check after few minutes to see all the mussels open up. Discard the ones that didn’t. Tug in, enjoy!!” – http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/5263 … le-mussels
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Good one, czearfoss. Seems like a number of writers/speakers are importing the semantics of “tug” into “tuck” contexts.
I suspect “tugging in stomach muscles” may not be a substitution for “tuck.”
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
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For the stomach reference I was going for “stand up straight and tuck in your gut/stomach” usage. It is certainly questionable that the reference was going for that. I did find a lot of “felt a tug in my stomach” reference, which I expect is a blend of the expressions “tug on heartstrings” and “punch to the gut”.
The fact that I only found that one reference vaguely suggesting “tuck in your gut/stomach” certainly eliminates that usage.
I wonder if those who use “tug in your shirt” ever say “tuck in your gut” and don’t register the disparity?
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It was the “muscles” part that made me think the person meant “tug.” Muscles are rope-like things that we might pull on, tug, more than things with unruly features that might be tucked.
Hatching new language, one eggcorn at a time.
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I particularly liked the idea of tugging in to your food. Just barge right in there. There are several more than the one you found, czearfoss, in different forms. Funny. I wonder if any of the “tugged into bed” references are also based on the idea of Tommy the Tugboat. It’s ultimately the same meaning as ‘to tug’ but presents a very different image.
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