Hug

A hug is an embrace between two (or possibly more) individuals, especially envolving the arms, and generally as a gesture of affection. One person can hug another without any action on the hugged person's part, or hug an animal, or even a plant or inanimate object.

The term is also used generically to imply something staying close to something else, such as a car "hugging" the side of the road.