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Spruce vs Smug - What's the difference?

spruce | smug |

In obsolete terms the difference between spruce and smug

is that spruce is prussia while smug is studiously neat or nice, especially in dress; spruce; affectedly precise; smooth and prim.

As adjectives the difference between spruce and smug

is that spruce is smart, trim, and elegant in appearance; fastidious (said of a person) while smug is irritatingly pleased with oneself; self-satisfied.

As verbs the difference between spruce and smug

is that spruce is to arrange neatly; tidy up while smug is to make smug, or spruce.

As a noun spruce

is any of various large coniferous evergreen trees from the genus Picea, found in northern temperate and boreal regions; originally and more fully spruce fir.

spruce

English

Noun

(en-noun)
  • Any of various large coniferous evergreen trees from the genus Picea , found in northern temperate and boreal regions; originally and more fully spruce fir.
  • (uncountable) The wood of a spruce.
  • (used attributively) Made of the wood of the spruce.
    • That spruce table is beautiful!
  • (obsolete) Prussia leather; pruce.
  • * E. Phillips
    • Spruce , a sort of leather corruptly so called for Prussia leather.

    See also

    * (Spruce) * (Picea)

    Adjective

    (er)
  • (comparable) Smart, trim, and elegant in appearance; fastidious (said of a person).
  • * 1919 ,
    • He had great neatness of person, and he continued to wear his spruce black coat and his bowler hat, always a little too small for him, in a dapper, jaunty manner.
  • * 2012 , The Economist, 13th Oct 2012, Plessey returns: Chips with everything
    • The two clean rooms, where chips are made, are sprucer than a hospital theatre.

    Verb

    (spruc)
  • To arrange neatly; tidy up.
  • ) To make oneself spruce (neat and elegant in appearance).
  • To tease.

    • Derived terms

    * (l)

    References

    *

    Anagrams

    * (l)

    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

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    Anagrams

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