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Spaz vs Spay - What's the difference?

spaz | spay |

As nouns the difference between spaz and spay

is that spaz is (slang|pejorative|offensive) a stupid person while spay is .

As verbs the difference between spaz and spay

is that spaz is (slang|pejorative|offensive) to have a tantrum or fit while spay is to remove or destroy the ovaries (of an animal) so that it cannot become pregnant.

spaz

English

Alternative forms

* spazz

Noun

(spazzes)
  • (slang, pejorative, offensive) A stupid person.
  • (slang, pejorative, offensive) A hyperactive person.
  • (slang, pejorative, offensive) An incompetent person.
  • * (Tiger Woods), 2006
    • “I was so in control from tee to green, the best I’ve played for years… But as soon as I got on the green I was a spaz .”
  • (slang, pejorative, offensive) A tantrum, a fit.

    • Usage notes

    (Spastic) In addition to being insulting to the target, the term itself is offensive to some due to associations with disability (especially cerebral palsy in the UK); compare (retard), (tard). Offensiveness differs between the UK and the US: it is quite offensive in the UK, while completely inoffensive in the US, acting as a synonym for silly/hyper. It is most widely used as a playground term of abuse, both of people with disabilities and children generally. Among adults, particularly in the United States, it can be seen as gentle ribbing or self-deprecation, as in the Tiger Woods quote, but can cause offense, and is recommended against in public. The s-word, by Damon Rose, BBC News, 12 April 2006

    Related terms

    * spack * spastic

    See also

    * (l) * (l)

    Verb

  • (slang, pejorative, offensive) To have a tantrum or fit.
  • (slang, offensive) To malfunction, go on the fritz.

    • Usage notes

    The sense “to malfunction” is the only sense that is not insulting to the object, and is cognate to (spasm) (compare (seize up)), but still may cause offense due to connections with (spastic).

    References

    Anagrams

    *

    spay

    English

    Etymology 1

    From the (etyl) espeier, equivalent to the (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    * (l) * (l)

    Verb

  • To remove or destroy the ovaries (of an animal) so that it cannot become pregnant.
    • Synonyms
    * castrate, emasculate (for a male) * geld * neuter * sterilize (used for all species and for both genders)

    References

    * “ spay, v.'']” listed in the '' [2nd Ed.; 1989

    Etymology 2

    See spayard.

    Noun

    (en noun)

    • References

    * “ spay]” listed as a variant spelling of “[http://dictionary.oed.com/cgi/entry/50232517 spaya(r)d, spayd]”, listed in the Oxford English Dictionary [2nd Ed.; 1989

    Anagrams

    * * * English terms with multiple etymologies ----