Purr vs Thrum - What's the difference?

As verbs the difference between purr and thrum

is that purr is of a cat, to make a vibrating sound in its throat when contented while thrum is to cause a steady rhythmic vibration, usually by plucking.

As nouns the difference between purr and thrum

is that purr is the vibrating sound made by a cat in its throat when contented while thrum is a thrumming sound; a hum or vibration. Also fig.

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
thrum
English

Alternative forms
* thrumb
Etymology 1
Imitative.
Noun
(en noun)
A thrumming sound; a hum or vibration. Also fig.

* '>citation

Verb

To cause a steady rhythmic vibration, usually by plucking.

She watched as he thrummed the guitar strings absently.

To make a monotonous drumming noise.

to thrum on a table

Etymology 2
From (etyl) (m) from (etyl) and German Trumm.
Noun
(en noun)
the ends of the warp threads in a loom which remain unwoven attached to the loom when the web is cut.

(chiefly in plural) a fringe made of such threads.

any short piece of leftover thread or yarn; a tuft or tassel.

(botany) a threadlike part of a flower; a stamen.

(botany) a tuft, bundle, or fringe of any threadlike structures, as hairs on a leaf, fibers of a root.

(anatomy) a bundle of minute blood vessels, a plexus.

(nautical, chiefly in plural) small pieces of rope yarn used for making mats or mops.

(nautical) a mat made of canvas and tufts of yarn.

(mining) A shove out of place; a small displacement or fault along a seam.

Verb

to furnish with thrums; to insert tufts in; to fringe.

* Quarles

are we born to thrum caps or pick straw?

(nautical) to insert short pieces of rope-yarn or spun yarn in.

to thrum a piece of canvas, or a mat, thus making a rough or tufted surface