different between fuss vs puss

English

Etymology

Of unknown origin. Perhaps from Danish fjas (“nonsense”), from Middle Low German (compare German faseln (“to maunder, talk nonsense”))

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /f?s/
• Rhymes: -?s

Noun

fuss (countable and uncountable, plural fusses)

1. (countable or uncountable) Excessive activity, worry, bother, or talk about something.
   • 1882, Thomas Carlyle, Reminiscences
2. A complaint or noise; a scene.

3. An exhibition of affection or admiration.

Translations

Verb

fuss (third-person singular simple present fusses, present participle fussing, simple past and past participle fussed)

1. (intransitive) To be very worried or excited about something, often too much.

   His grandmother will never quit fussing over his vegetarianism.

2. (intransitive) To fiddle; fidget; wiggle, or adjust

   Quit fussing with your hair. It looks fine.

3. (intransitive, especially of babies) To cry or be ill-humoured.
4. (intransitive, with over) To show affection for, especially animals.
5. (transitive) To pet.

   He fussed the cat.

Usage notes

• Generally used with with, over, or about.

Translations

Derived terms

• fussbudget
• fussbutton
• fusspot
• fussy
• fuss and bother
• no muss no fuss

References

Anagrams

• USSF

Hungarian

Alternative forms

• fussál

Etymology

fut (“to run”) +? -j (personal suffix)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?fu??]
• Hyphenation: fuss
• Rhymes: -u??

Verb

fuss

1. second-person singular subjunctive present indefinite of fut

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: po?os, IPA^(key): /p?s/
• Rhymes: -?s

Etymology 1

Probably from Middle Low German p?s, p?skatte or Dutch poes (“puss, cat”, slang for “vulva”), ultimately from a common Germanic word for cat, perhaps ultimately imitative of a sound made to get its attention (compare Arabic ???).

Akin to West Frisian poes, Low German Puus, Puuskatte, Danish pus, dialectal Swedish kattepus, Norwegian pus.

Found also in several other European, North African and West Asian languages; compare Romanian pisic? and Sardinian pisittu.

Noun

puss (plural pusses)

1. (informal, often as a term of address) A cat.

2. (dated, endearing) A girl or young woman, or any child.
3. (dated, hunting) A hare.

   • He then began to beat about, in the same language and in the same manner as if he had been beating for a hare; and at last cried out, "Soho! Puss is not far off. Here's her form, upon my soul; I believe I may cry stole away."
4. (vulgar, slang) The vulva (female genitalia).
5. (vulgar, slang, chiefly Canada, US) A coward; a wuss; someone who is unable to stand up for themself.

Synonyms

• (cat): moggie/moggy

Related terms

• pussy

Derived terms

• puss moth
• puss out

Etymology 2

Of Celtic origin, from or akin to Irish pus (“mouth, lip”), from Middle Irish bus.

Noun

puss (plural pusses)

1. (slang) The mouth.

   She gave him a slap in the puss.

   • 1991, New York Magazine (volume 24, number 21, page 62)

     Hubbert has a rasping voice and a razory laugh, and he's busy and theatrical in the worst way — a noisy performing pro with whirlwind arms and a saturnine puss.

Synonyms

• (mouth): cakehole, gob, mush, trap

Etymology 3

Noun

puss (uncountable)

1. Alternative spelling of pus
   • 2010 Alien Purgatory page 40

     It didn't move as much, and the same teary puss leaked from its eyes.

   • 2012 Southern Supposition page 132

     People called him Puss Head because if you crossed him, he went to great lengths to make sure that before you died, puss leaked from your head.

   • 2016 When Crickets Cry page 267

     Puss leaked out from beneath white gauze on his back and trickled down his spine.

References

• Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.

Anagrams

• PSUs, USPS, USPs, sups, susp

Norwegian Bokmål

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?s/

Etymology 1

From pusse (“to clean, polish, plaster, render”).

Noun

puss m (definite singular pussen, indefinite plural pusser, definite plural pussene)

1. polish, finery
2. (a layer of) plaster (mortar), plastering
3. finery

Etymology 2

From Latin pus.

Noun

puss m or n (definite singular pussen or pusset)

1. (pathology) pus (yellowish fluid from infected tissue)

Etymology 3

Apparently from Dutch Low Saxon or German Low German.

New High German Possen (“coarse prank”), although superficially similar, derives via Middle High German from Old French, and is therefore probably unrelated.

Noun

puss n (definite singular pusset, indefinite plural puss, definite plural pussa or pussene)

1. trick, prank

References

• “puss” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

From pusse (“to clean, polish, plaster, render”).

Noun

puss m (definite singular pussen, indefinite plural pussar, definite plural pussane)

1. polish, finery
2. (a layer of) plaster (mortar), plastering
3. finery

Etymology 2

From Latin pus.

Noun

puss m or n (definite singular pussen or pusset)

1. (pathology) pus (yellowish fluid from infected tissue)

Etymology 3

Apparently from Dutch Low Saxon or German Low German.

New High German Possen (“coarse prank”), although superficially similar, derives via Middle High German from Old French, and is therefore probably unrelated.

Noun

puss n (definite singular pusset, indefinite plural puss, definite plural pussa)

1. trick, prank

References

• “puss” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Swedish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?s/

Noun

puss c

1. Peck; a light or dispassionate kiss performed with closed lips, used for example as a greeting or in non-sensual/non-sexual contexts.
2. A puddle, a plash.

Declension

Related terms

• pussa

See also

• kyss

Anagrams

• sups