different between louse vs fouse

English

Etymology

From Middle English lous, lows, lowse, from Old English l?s, from Proto-Germanic *l?s (compare West Frisian lûs, Dutch luis, German Low German Luus, German Laus), from Proto-Indo-European *lewH- (compare Welsh llau (“lice”), Tocharian B luwo, maybe Sanskrit ???? (y?k?)).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /la?s/
• Rhymes: -a?s

Noun

louse (plural lice or louses)

1. A small parasitic wingless insect of the order Psocodea.
2. (colloquial, dated, not usually used in plural form) A contemptible person; one who is deceitful or causes harm.
   • 1946, Joseph Thompson Shaw, The hard-boiled omnibus: early stories from Black Mask (page 388)

     He said: "Thanks, friend; but you're wasting your time. You better warn Crocker. If that louse makes a play for me, he'll get hit with Chicago lightning!"

   • 1949, Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend (song)

     It's then that those louses go back to their spouses. Diamonds are a girl's best friend.

Usage notes

• When used as a term of abuse, the plural is typically louses, though lice is also possible.

Synonyms

• (insect): (North America) cootie
• (contemptible person): maggot, worm

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

louse (third-person singular simple present louses, present participle lousing, simple past and past participle loused)

1. To remove lice from.

Synonyms

• delouse

Translations

Anagrams

• Eolus, Seoul, Soule, eusol, loues, oules, ousel, soule

Middle English

Noun

louse

1. Alternative form of lous

English

Etymology

From Middle English fous, fus (“ready, eager, striving forward, inclined to, willing, prompt; ardent, zealous, passionate, expectant, brave, noble: ready to depart, die”), from Old English f?s (“ready, eager, striving forward, inclined to, willing, prompt; expectant, brave, noble: ready to depart, die; dying”), from Proto-Germanic *funsaz (“ready, eager”).

Adjective

fouse (comparative fouser or more fouse, superlative fousest or most fouse)

1. (obsolete) ready, eager, prompt, quick, striving forward, inclined to, willing
2. (obsolete) ardent, zealous, passionate, expectant, brave, noble: ready to depart, die; dying

References

• Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia.

Anagrams

• Sofue

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?fou?s?]
• Hyphenation: fou?se

Noun

fouse

1. vocative singular of fous