英和和英

語源 1

Probably from Middle Low German pūse, pūskatte or Dutch poes (“puss, cat”, also slang for “vulva”), ultimately from a common Germanic word for cat, perhaps ultimately imitative of a sound made to get its attention (compare Arabic بسة (bissa)).

Akin to West Frisian poes, Low German Puus, Puuskatte, Danish pus, dialectal Swedish kattepus, Norwegian pus.

Found also in several other European, North African and Asian languages; compare Romanian pisică, Persian پیشی (piši), Tamil பூசை (pūcai), Tagalog pusa and Sardinian pisittu.

名詞

puss (countable and uncountable, plural pusses)

1. (informal, often as a term of address) A cat.

   Our local theatre is showing Puss in Boots.

   Come here, puss! I've got some milk for you.

2. (dated, endearing) A girl or young woman, or any child.
3. (dated, hunting) A hare.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, “In which is seen a more moving Spectacle, than all the Blood in the Bodies of Thwackum and Blifil and of Twenty other such, is capable of producing”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume II, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book V, page 220:

     He then began to beat about, in the ſame Language, and in the ſame Manner, as if he had been beating for a Hare, and at laſt cried out, 'Soho! Puſs is not far off. Here's her Form, upon my Soul; I believe I may cry ſtole away.'

   • 1881, P. Chr. Asbjörnsen [i.e., Peter Christen Asbjørnsen], “A Day with the Capercailzies”, in H. L. Brækstad, transl., Round the Yule Log. Norwegian Folk and Fairy Tales, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, →OCLC, page 77:

     '[…] It won't kill Puss any better for that.' / "'But, goodness gracious, what can that hare be made of?' I asked.

4. (vulgar, slang) The vulva (female genitalia).
5. (uncountable, vulgar, slang, metonymic) Sex with a woman.
   • 1986, Tim Kazurinsky, Denise DeClue, About Last Night, spoken by Bernie (Jim Belushi):

     So don't know! So, what are you gonna do? Sell your birthright for a little bit of puss?

6. (vulgar, slang, chiefly Canada, US) A coward; a wuss; someone who is unable to stand up for themselves.

同意語

• (cat): moggie/moggy

派生語

関連する語

• pussy

語源 2

Of Celtic origin, from or akin to Irish pus (“mouth, lip”), from Middle Irish bus. Compare also Middle Low German pussen (“to kiss”), Middle High German bussen (“to kiss”).

名詞

puss (plural pusses)

1. (slang) The mouth.

   Shut your puss before I shut it for you.

   • 1991, New York Magazine, volume 24, number 21, page 62:

     Hubbert has a rasping voice and a razory laugh, and he's busy and theatrical in the worst way — a noisy performing pro with whirlwind arms and a saturnine puss.

2. (slang) The face.

   She gave him a slap in the puss.

同意語

• (mouth): cakehole, gob, mush, trap

派生語

• sourpuss

語源 3

名詞

puss (uncountable)

1. Alternative spelling of pus.
   • 2010 Alien Purgatory page 40

     It didn't move as much, and the same teary puss leaked from its eyes.

   • 2012 Southern Supposition page 132

     People called him Puss Head because if you crossed him, he went to great lengths to make sure that before you died, puss leaked from your head.

   • 2016 When Crickets Cry page 267

     Puss leaked out from beneath white gauze on his back and trickled down his spine.

参照

• James A. H. Murray et al., editors (1884–1928), “Puss”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), London: Clarendon Press, →OCLC.

アナグラム

• PSUs, USPS, USPs, sups, susp