Jargon 2.0

Mung (v.)

Not to be confused with the similar word “munge.” Mung is derived from the term “mash until no good.” In tech terms, it means make changes to a file to the point that one can’t revert to an earlier state. “Munge” means to change data on a large scale to the point that it no longer resembles the original version. But the past tense is a problem. “He finished in about an hour but he munged it up pretty good.” You need the full context to see which verb is intended; here it’s mung. The other meaning would be involved if the sentence was: “We hired this guy from Toledo, who munged the database right into the Dumpster.”