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Rut vs Rum - What's the difference?

rut | rum |

As nouns the difference between rut and rum

is that rut is sexual desire or oestrus of cattle, and various other mammals while rum is a distilled spirit derived from fermented cane sugar and molasses.

As a verb rut

is to be in the annual rut.

As an adjective rum is

fine, excellent, valuable.

rut

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • (zoology) Sexual desire or oestrus of cattle, and various other mammals
  • Roaring, as of waves breaking upon the shore; rote.

    • Verb

  • to be in the annual rut
  • to have sexual intercourse
  • To mount or cover during copulation.
    • (Dryden)

    Etymology 2

    16th century. Probably from (etyl) route ‘road’

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A furrow, groove, or track worn in the ground, as from the passage of many wheels along a road
  • A fixed routine, procedure, line of conduct, thought or feeling (See also rutter)
  • A dull routine
    • Dull job, no interests, no dates. He's really in a rut .

    Verb

    (rutt)
  • To make a furrow

    • Anagrams

    * * English terms with multiple etymologies ----

    rum

    English

    (wikipedia rum)

    Etymology 1

    Perhaps shortened from rumbullion.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (uncountable) A distilled spirit derived from fermented cane sugar and molasses
    • The Royal Navy used to issue a rum ration to sailors.
  • (countable) A serving of rum
    • Jake tossed down three rums .
  • (countable) A kind or brand of rum
    • Bundaberg is one of my favourite rums .
  • (obsolete, slang) A queer or odd person or thing.
  • (obsolete, slang) A country parson.
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • No company comes / But a rabble of tenants, and rusty dull rums .

    Etymology 2

    Formerly rome'', a slang word for ''good ; possibly of Romany origin; compare .

    Adjective

    (rummer)
  • (obsolete) fine, excellent, valuable
  • (British, colloquial, dated) strange, peculiar
    • a rum''' idea; a '''rum fellow
    (Dickens)
    Synonyms
    *

    See also

    * rum go

    Quotations

    * 1951 , , Google Books *: "Can't you see him?" *: "Well, I almost thought I did—for a moment. It's such a rum light." * 1976 , , All Things Wise and Wonderful , page 346 *: "She's as 'appy as Larry, but she'll neither move nor eat. It's a rum' 'un, isn't it?" It was very ' rum indeed.

    Anagrams

    * ----