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Skunk vs Possum - What's the difference?

skunk | possum |

As nouns the difference between skunk and possum

is that skunk is skunk (animal) while possum is (us) an opossum, a marsupial of the family didelphidae of the americas.

skunk

English

(wikipedia skunk)

Etymology 1

At first spelt squunck, from the (etyl) name for the animal, .

Noun

(en noun)
  • Any of various small mammals, of the family Mephitidae, native to North and Central America, having a glossy black with a white coat and two musk glands at the base of the tail for emitting a noxious smell as a defensive measure.
  • (slang) A despicable person.
  • (slang) A walkover victory in sports or board games, as when the opposing side is unable to score. Compare shutout.
  • (cribbage) A win by 30 or more points.
  • Derived terms
    * drunk as a skunk * skunky

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To defeat so badly as to prevent any opposing points.
  • I skunked him at cards.
    We fished all day but the lake skunked us.
  • (cribbage) To win by 30 or more points.
  • to go bad, to spoil
  • See also

    * Mephitidae * Mephitis * * * polecat

    Etymology 2

    , influenced by the animal (Etymology 1).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A member of a hybrid skinhead and punk subculture.
  • * 2006 , Pam Nilan, Carles Feixa, Global Youth?: Hybrid Identities, Plural Worlds (page 192)
  • In the early 1980s, certain ex-punks joined them, becoming 'skunks' – a hybrid subculture of skinheads and punks.
  • * 2011 , Gerard DeGroot (quoting Brown), Seventies Unplugged
  • Etymology 3

    From

    Noun

  • (slang) (marijuana).
  • Any of the strains of hybrids of Cannabis sativa'' and ''Cannabis indica that may have THC levels exceeding those of typical hashish.
  • ----

    possum

    English

    (wikipedia possum)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (US) An opossum, a marsupial of the family Didelphidae of the Americas.
  • Any of the marsupials in several families of the order Diprotodontia of Australia and neighboring islands.
  • Derived terms

    * play possum *

    See also

    * * ----