Green’s Dictionary of Slang

hug v.

(US) to choke.

1859

Matsell Vocabulum 43: hug To choke [...] hugging the hooker Choking the thief.

SE in slang uses

In compounds

hug-booby (n.) [booby n.¹ (1)]

a pej. term for a married man.

1699

N. Ward London Spy XIV 332: As little able to contain himself [...] as a Bumpkin is under a foresight of the Pleasures he expects to find in the Embraces of his new Married Hug-Booby.

hug-drug (n.) [its effects; the drug makes users want to touch everyone around them]

(drugs) MDMA.

1999		Guardian G2 26 Aug. 14: The dance and ‘hug-drug’ phenomenon transformed the club’s fortunes.
2001		RaveSafe South Australia RaveSave.doof.org 🌐 Ecstasy: Also known as Es, eccies, pills, XTC, X, Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), biccies, tabs, eggs, googs, vitamin E, essence, adam. Eve, the hug drug, the love drug.

In phrases