“一个人的嘴或脸”，1708年，可能是对 mug (n.1) 的扩展意义，基于17世纪在英国流行的古老饮酒 mug 形状像怪诞面孔的杯子。“警方记录中的肖像或照片”的意义在1873年之前就已出现。
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，几起房屋和商店盗窃案被指控于他们时，Good满怀诚意地说：“在过去的十七年里，我走遍了美国的每一个城市，从未被捕过，我现在也不会被捕，若不是因为那张‘mug’在你们的画廊里。[《波士顿警察局长1873年年度报告》]
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年出现在盗贼俚语中；因此，1890年起普遍指“一个人”（尤其是“罪犯”）。Mug's game “愚蠢，无回报或无利可图的活动”在1890年出现。
