puss

IPA/pʊs/
KK[pˈʊs]IPA/pʊs/

puss — noun

  • pusssingular
  • pussesplural

1. an affectionate, informal word for a domestic cat, used especially when speaking

1.名詞A2
釋義

an affectionate, informal word for a domestic cat, used especially when speaking directly to the animal or talking about it in a fond way.

例句

Come here, little puss — I have some fresh fish for you.

imperative direct-address: 'Come here, [adj] puss'

Mrs. Adegoke heard a soft meow and found a ginger puss at her kitchen door.

noun phrase 'a ginger puss' as direct object

同義詞
  • kitty

    equally informal, more common in child-directed speech

  • feline

    formal or scientific; opposite register from 'puss'

  • cat

    standard neutral term; 'puss' is a subset of this meaning

文法句型

come here, [adjective] puss

[determiner] + [adjective] + puss + verb (purr, meow, stretch)

用法筆記

Commonly used when calling or speaking directly to a cat, similar to 'kitty' or 'pussycat'. Less suited to formal or clinical contexts — a veterinarian would say 'cat', not 'puss'.

常見錯誤

❌The veterinarian examined the puss carefully.
✅The vet gently examined the little cat.
💡'puss' sounds too informal for a clinical setting; use 'cat' instead.
❌I adopted a puss from the animal shelter.
✅We adopted a sweet little cat from the shelter. The children call her Puss.
💡'puss' works as a nickname but not as the neutral term for 'cat' in adult conversation.

2. a British slang term for a person's face or mouth, often used in rough or aggres

2.名詞B2
釋義

a British slang term for a person's face or mouth, often used in rough or aggressive contexts such as threats, insults, or descriptions of being hit.

例句

The rugby player took an elbow right in the puss during a scrum.

collocation: 'in the puss' after verb of impact

Grandpa told the cheeky teen to shut his puss before he said too much.

imperative: 'shut your puss' as a rough command

同義詞
  • mug

    British slang for face, slightly less aggressive but equally informal

  • boat race

    Cockney rhyming slang ('boat' from 'boat race' = face); very informal

  • face

    standard neutral term; 'puss' is much coarser and more restricted

文法句型

[verb] + [someone] + in the puss

shut your puss

[possessive] + puss

用法筆記

Chiefly British slang and often carries a rough or mildly aggressive tone. Can be offensive depending on context — avoid in polite conversation. The phrase 'shut your puss' is stronger and coarser than 'shut your mouth'.

常見錯誤

❌She had a lovely smile on her puss.
✅He got a fist in the puss for making that rude comment.
💡'puss' for face is always informal and usually negative or rough; it does not work in positive descriptions.
❌My puss hurts from this cold weather.
✅I took a snowball right in the puss.
💡In American English 'puss' is not used for face at all; this is British slang only.