Spaz vs Spazm - What's the difference?
spaz | spazm |
(slang, pejorative, offensive) A stupid person.
(slang, pejorative, offensive) A hyperactive person.
(slang, pejorative, offensive) An incompetent person.
* (Tiger Woods), 2006
(slang, pejorative, offensive) A tantrum, a fit.
(slang, pejorative, offensive) To have a tantrum or fit.
(slang, offensive) To malfunction, go on the fritz.
As nouns the difference between spaz and spazm
is that spaz is a stupid person while spazm is misspelling of spasm.As a verb spaz
is to have a tantrum or fit.spaz
English
Alternative forms
* spazzNoun
(spazzes)- “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 .”
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