BBB Etymology - Hug

1567, hugge "to embrace," perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse hugga, "to comfort," from hugr "courage, mood," from Proto-Germanic *hugjan, related to Old English hycgan "to think, consider," Gothic hugs "mind, soul, thought." Other have noted the similarity in some senses to German hegen "to foster, cherish," originally "to enclose with a hedge." The noun was originally (1617) a hold in wrestling.