Fiend vs Thug - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between fiend and thug

is that fiend is (obsolete) an enemy, unfriend, or foe while thug is a criminal with an intimidating and unseemly appearance and mannerisms, who treats others violently and roughly, especially for hire.

fiend

English

Alternative forms

* (l)

Noun

(en noun)

(obsolete) An enemy, unfriend, or foe.

(religious, archaic) The enemy of mankind, specifically, the Devil; Satan.

* 1971 , , Religion and the Decline of Magic , Folio Society 2012, p. 35:

At the confirmation ceremony the bishop would lay his hands on the child and tie around its forehead a linen band […]. This was believed to strengthen him against the assaults of the fiend […].

A devil or demon; a malignant or diabolical being; an evil spirit.

* 1845 , E.A. Poe, "The Raven"

"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend! "

A very evil person

(informal) An addict or fanatic

a jazz fiend

Derived terms

* fienddom/fiendom * fiendful * fiendhood * fiendish * fiendkin * fiendlike * fiendling * fiendly * fiendness * fiendship * dope fiend

Synonyms

* monster

Anagrams

* * *

thug

English

(wikipedia thug) From (etyl) . Thuggee was an Indian network of secret fraternities who were engaged in murdering and robbing travellers and known for strangling their victims, operating from the 17th century (possibly as early as 13th century) to the 19th century. During of India, many Indian words passed into common English, and in 1810 thug referred to members of these Indian gangs. The sense was adopted more generally as "ruffian, cutthroat" by 1839.

Noun

(en noun)

A criminal with an intimidating and unseemly appearance and mannerisms, who treats others violently and roughly, especially for hire.

(dated) One of a band of assassins formerly active in northern India who worshipped and offered their victims to her.

Synonyms

* See also