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Reader question: Please explain “ugly mug” in the following: Every year this monster pothole sticks its ugly mug out. It's sure to flatten a tire if hit the right way, hidden right around the corner. My comments: “Mug” is colloquialism for someone’s face. Amongst the first things a new prisoner is asked to do, for example, is to have a mug shot taken for record keeping. Mug shot, a shot (picture) of his face. In the above example, the pothole on the road is likened to a monster. And when the monster sticks its ugly face out of the surface of the road, it gives the driver a shudder, to say the least. Anyways, “stick its ugly mug out” is an idiom, meaning for something unpleasant to happen, something bad you can’t ignore. The standard expression is “rear its ugly head”. To “rear” is for an animal to raise itself up. For a bear to rear up, for example, is for the bear to rise upright to stand on its hind legs. Or a snake may rear by raising its head. Or, from a dictionary example (Longman), “the horse reared and threw me off”. You get the picture. Why ugly then? Ugly simply implies the unpleasantness of the situation. Therefore, use “rear its ugly head, face or mug” only in undesirable situations where a harsh reality is to be faced. That’s the crucial point to remember. At any rate, I’m sure you’ll be able to get the hang of it after further reading these media examples: | 
