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Smug vs Prim - What's the difference?

smug | prim |

As an adjective smug

is irritatingly pleased with oneself; self-satisfied.

As a verb smug

is (obsolete|transitive) to make smug, or spruce.

As a noun prim is

prime (the first note or tone of a musical scale).

smug

English

Adjective

(smugger)
  • Irritatingly pleased with oneself; self-satisfied.
    • Kate looked extremely smug this morning.
  • (obsolete) Studiously neat or nice, especially in dress; spruce; affectedly precise; smooth and prim.
  • * Robynson (More's Utopia)
    • They be so smug and smooth.
  • * De Quincey
    • the smug and scanty draperies of his style
  • * Beaumont and Fletcher
    • A young, smug , handsome holiness has no fellow.

    Synonyms

    * self-satisfied * complacent

    Derived terms

    * smugly * smugness

    Verb

    (smugg)
  • (obsolete) To make smug, or spruce.
  • * Dryton
    • Thus said, he smugged his beard, and stroked up fair.
    (Webster 1913)

    External links

    * *

    Anagrams

    * *

    prim

    English

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) prim, prin, from (etyl) (lena) .

    Adjective

    (primmer)
  • prudish, straight-laced
  • formal; precise; affectedly neat or nice
    • prim''' regularity; a '''prim person
    (Jonathan Swift)
    Usage notes
    Often used in the collocation “prim and proper”.
    Derived terms
    * prim and proper * prissy

    Verb

  • (dated) To make affectedly precise or proper.
  • (dated) To dress or act smartly.

    • Etymology 2

    See privet.

    Noun

  • (botany) privet
    • (Webster 1913) ----