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Quack vs Humbug - What's the difference?

quack | humbug | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between quack and humbug

is that quack is the sound made by a duck while humbug is a hoax, prank or jest.

As verbs the difference between quack and humbug

is that quack is to make a noise like a duck while humbug is to play a trick on.

As an adjective quack

is falsely presented as having medicinal powers.

As an interjection humbug is

nonsense.

quack

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) *.

Noun

(en noun)
  • The sound made by a duck.
    • Did you hear that duck make a quack ?

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make a noise like a duck.
    • The more breadcrumbs I threw on the ground, the more they quacked .
    Do you hear the ducks quack ?
    Derived terms
    *

    References

    Etymology 2

    (wikipedia quack) c 1630, shortening of quacksalver, from (etyl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A fraudulent healer or incompetent professional, especially a doctor of medicine; an impostor who claims to have qualifications to practice medicine.
    • That doctor is nothing but a lousy quack !
    Polly (to security guard, referring to Dr. Feingarten): Are you going to let that shyster in there?
    Dr. Feingarten': I could sue you, Polly. A shyster is a disreputable lawyer. I'm a ' quack .
    - From the motion picture
  • * 1662 : Rump: or an Exact Collection of the Choycest Poems and Songs Relating to Late Times, Vol. II , by ‘the most Eminent Wits’
    • Tis hard to say, how much these Arse-wormes do urge us, We now need no Quack but these Jacks for to purge us, [...]
  • * 1720 : William Derham, Physico-theology
    • After ?ome Months, the Quack gets privately to Town, [...]
  • * 1843 , '', book 2, ch. 8, ''The Electon
    • ‘if we are ourselves valets, there shall ‘exist no hero for us; we shall not know the hero when we see him;’ - we shall take the quack for a hero; and cry, audibly through all ballot-boxes and machinery whatsoever, Thou art he; be thou King over us!
  • A charlatan.
  • Carlyle
    • Quacks political; quacks scientific, academical.
  • (slang) A doctor.
    • Synonyms
    * See also
    Derived terms
    * (l)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To practice or commit quackery.
  • (obsolete) To make vain and loud pretensions; to boast.
  • * Hudibras
    • To quack of universal cures.

    Adjective

    (-)
  • falsely presented as having medicinal powers.
    • Don't get your hopes up; that's quack medicine!

    humbug

    English

    Noun

    (wikipedia humbug) (en noun)
  • A hoax, prank or jest
  • A fraud or sham
  • A fraudster or cheat
  • * 1903 , , Act III:
  • *:He means that he has sold out to the parliamentary humbugs and the bourgeoisie. Compromise! that is his faith.
  • (British) A type of chewy sweet (candy)

    • Interjection

    (en interjection)
  • nonsense!
  • * 1843 , ,
    • ‘A Merry Christmas, uncle! God save you!’ cried a cheerful voice. It was the voice of Scrooge’s nephew, who came upon him so quickly that this was the first intimation he had of his approach.
    ‘Bah!’ said Scrooge, ‘Humbug !’

    Verb

  • To play a trick on.
  • To cheat, swindle.

    • Derived terms

    * humbugger * humbuggery

    Usage notes

    * The spellings (humbuging) and (humbuged) exist, but are not nearly so common as (humbugging) and (humbugged).

    References

    * OED 2nd edition 1989 * * ----