“一个人的嘴或脸”，1708年，可能是对 mug (n.1) 的扩展意义，基于17世纪在英格兰流行的形状像怪诞面孔的饮酒 mug。到1873年，“警察记录中的肖像或照片”的意义已出现。
When the notorious "Shaver Good" and his accomplices were arrested, and the robbery of several houses and stores fastened upon them, Good said, with all apparent sincerity, "I have travelled every city in the United States for the last seventeen years, and was never collared before, and I would not have been now, but for that 'mug' of mine that sticks in your gallery. ["Annual Report of the Chief of Police for 1873," Boston, Mass.]
当臭名昭著的“Shaver Good”和他的同伙被捕时，几所房屋和商店的抢劫罪名被加在他们身上，Good诚恳地说：“在过去的十七年里，我走遍了美国的每一个城市，从未被抓住过，今天也不会被抓住，除了我那张粘在你们画廊里的‘mug’。”
因此 mug-shot（1950年之前）。
“愚蠢或无能的人，傻瓜，受骗者”的意义在1851年出现在小偷的俚语中；因此，1890年起一般指“一个人”（尤其是“罪犯”）。Mug's game “愚蠢的，无回报的或无利可图的活动”出现在1890年。
