Fuss vs Puss - What's the difference?
fuss | puss |
Excessive activity, worry, bother, or talk about something.
* (Thomas Carlyle) (1795-1881)
*{{quote-book, year=1935, author=
, title=Death on the Centre Court, chapter=1
, passage=“Anthea hasn't a notion in her head but to vamp a lot of silly mugwumps. She's set her heart on that tennis bloke
# A complaint or noise.
# An exhibition of affection or admiration.
One who is unduly anxious about trifles.
* (1837-1920)
To be very worried or excited about something, often too much.
To fiddle; fidget; wiggle, or adjust; to worry something
(especially of babies) To cry or be ill-humoured.
To show affection for, especially animals.
To pet.
(informal) A cat.
A girl or young woman.
(dated, hunting) A hare.
(vulgar, slang) Vulva (female genitalia).
(slang) The mouth.
As nouns the difference between fuss and puss
is that fuss is excessive activity, worry, bother, or talk about something while puss is a cat.As a verb fuss
is to be very worried or excited about something, often too much.fuss
English
Noun
(es)- zealously, assiduously, and with a minimum of fuss or noise
George Goodchild
- I am a fuss and I don't deny it.
Verb
(es)- His grandmother will never quit fussing over his vegetarianism.
- Quit fussing with your hair. It looks fine.
Usage notes
* Generally used with with, over, or about.Verb
(head)- He fussed the cat.
Derived terms
* fussy * fuss and bother * no muss no fussReferences
puss
English
Etymology 1
From a Common (etyl) word for cat. Akin to (etyl) , West Frisian (m), (etyl) (m), (m), Danish (m), dialectal (etyl) (m), (etyl) (m). Found also in several other European and Western Asian languages. Compare (etyl) (m).Noun
(es)- Our local theatre is showing Puss in Boots.
Synonyms
* (cat) moggie/moggyEtymology 2
Of (etyl) origin, from or akin to (etyl) .Noun
(es)- She gave him a slap in the puss .