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Croon vs Purr - What's the difference?

croon | purr |

In lang=en terms the difference between croon and purr

is that croon is to soothe by singing softly while purr is to make a vibrating throaty sound, as from pleasure.

As verbs the difference between croon and purr

is that croon is to hum or sing softly or in a sentimental manner while purr is of a cat, to make a vibrating sound in its throat when contented.

As nouns the difference between croon and purr

is that croon is a soft or sentimental hum or song while purr is the vibrating sound made by a cat in its throat when contented.

croon

English

Verb

  • To hum or sing softly or in a sentimental manner.
  • * Charlotte Brontë
    • Hearing such stanzas crooned in her praise.
  • To soothe by singing softly.
  • * Charles Dickens
    • The fragment of the childish hymn with which he sung and crooned himself asleep.
  • (Scotland) To make a continuous hollow moan, as cattle do when in pain.
    • (Jamieson)

    Derived terms

    * crooner

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A soft or sentimental hum or song.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=June 26 , author=Genevieve Koski , title=Music: Reviews: Justin Bieber: Believe , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=And really, Michael Jackson is a more fitting aspiration for the similarly sexless would-be-former teen heartthrob, who’s compared himself to the late King Of Pop (perhaps a bit prematurely) on several occasions and sings in a Jackson-like croon over a sample of “We’ve Got A Good Thing Going” on Believe’s “Die In Your Arms.” }}

    Anagrams

    *

    purr

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • Of a cat, to make a vibrating sound in its throat when contented.
  • To say (something) in a throaty, seductive manner.
  • * 2008 , C. E. Osborne, Black Gold Death in the Sun (page 12)
    • "This is Cindy," she purred again, flashing a smile of perfect white teeth surrounded by full red lips.
  • To make a vibrating throaty sound, as from pleasure.
  • (of an engine) To make a low and consistent rumbling sound.
  • * 2001 , E. C. Craver, Last Reunion (page 159)
    • Beverly passed the city limits sign with the Porsche's motor purring contentedly after its two hundred and fifty-mile romp.

    Derived terms

    * purrer * purr like a kitten

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The vibrating sound made by a cat in its throat when contented.
  • * 1918 , Sarath Kumar Ghosh, The wonders of the jungle - Volume 2 (page 113)
    • Instead, the tiger looked around, and gave a purr , and then a growl. What did that mean? The man could not tell. Then the tiger just flung upon the man some of the sand from the side of the hollow.
  • A throaty, seductive sound of pleasure made by a person.
  • * 2006 , Brenda Williamson, Wolverton Blood (page 53)
    • The trill of her purr echoed inside his mouth when he kissed her again. Clutching at his shirt, her fingers traveled the muscles in his back.
  • The low consistent rumble made by an engine at slow speed
  • * 1997 , Susan Wood, A Fly in Amber (page 191)
    • I sat still in the car and listened to the soft purr of the engine and my beating heart. Then slowly, and as silently as possible, I drove the car back to camp.

    Derived terms

    * purrlike

    See also

    * meow English onomatopoeias