Mutter vs Fuss - What's the difference?
mutter | fuss |
A repressed or obscure utterance; an instance of muttering.
(in Indian restaurants) peas
To utter words, especially complaints or angry expressions, indistinctly or with a low voice and lips partly closed; to say under one's breath.
* {{quote-news
, year=2012
, date=June 28
, author=Jamie Jackson
, title=Wimbledon 2012: Lukas Rosol shocked by miracle win over Rafael Nadal
, work=the Guardian
To speak softly and incoherently, or with imperfect articulations.
* Dryden
To make a sound with a low, rumbling noise.
* Alexander Pope
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.
As a noun mutter
is .As an adjective fuss is
willing.mutter
English
Noun
(en noun)- The prisoners were docile, and accepted their lot with barely a mutter .
Derived terms
* mutter paneerVerb
(en verb)- You could hear the students mutter as they were served sodden spaghetti, yet again, in the cafeteria.
- The beggar muttered words of thanks, as passersby dropped coins in his cup.
citation, page= , passage=This set – the set of Rosol's life – was studded with aces and menacing ground-strokes that left Nadal an impotent spectator often muttering to himself and at the umpire regarding a perceived misdemeanour by his opponent.}}
- The asylum inmate muttered some doggerel about chains and pains to himself, over and over.
- Meantime your filthy foreigner will stare, / And mutter to himself.
- April could hear the delivery van's engine muttering in the driveway.
- Thick lightnings flash, the muttering thunder rolls.
Synonyms
* (sense, speak under one's breath) growl, grumble, mumble * (speak incoherently) babble, mumble, murmur, ramble, stutter * (make a low sound) growl, putter, rumble * See alsofuss
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.
