possum

pos·sum  (psm)

n. Chiefly Southern U.S.

An opossum.

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[Short for opossum.]

Regional Note: Since English is a language that stresses some syllables and not others, weakly stressed syllables, especially those preceding strong stresses, are dropped at times. This process, called aphesis when it occurs at the beginning of a word, is more common in regional American dialects than in the more conservative Standard English, which tends to retain in pronunciation anything reflected in spelling. Although many American dialects feature aphesis, it is most famous in the dialects of the South, where it yields pronunciations such as count of for (on) account of, tater for potato, possum for opossum, and skeeter for mosquito.

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possum [ˈpɒsəm]

n

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) an informal name for opossum [1]

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) an Austral. and NZ name for phalanger

play possum to pretend to be dead, ignorant, asleep, etc., in order to deceive an opponent

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	possum - nocturnal arboreal marsupial having a naked prehensile tail found from southern North America to northern South America opossum marsupial, pouched mammal - mammals of which the females have a pouch (the marsupium) containing the teats where the young are fed and carried Didelphidae, family Didelphidae - opossums common opossum, Didelphis marsupialis, Didelphis virginiana - omnivorous opossum of the eastern United States; noted for feigning death when in danger; esteemed as food in some areas; considered same species as the crab-eating opossum of South America crab-eating opossum - South American opossum
	2.	possum - small furry Australian arboreal marsupials having long usually prehensile tails opossum, phalanger marsupial, pouched mammal - mammals of which the females have a pouch (the marsupium) containing the teats where the young are fed and carried family Phalangeridae, Phalangeridae - phalangers; koalas cuscus - woolly-haired monkey-like arboreal marsupial of New Guinea and northern Australia brush-tailed phalanger, Trichosurus vulpecula - bushy-tailed phalanger flying opossum, flying phalanger, flying squirrel - nocturnal phalangers that move with gliding leaps using parachute-like folds of skin along the sides of the body kangaroo bear, koala, koala bear, native bear, Phascolarctos cinereus - sluggish tailless Australian arboreal marsupial with grey furry ears and coat; feeds on eucalyptus leaves and bark

Translations

possum [ˈpɒsəm] N (US) → zarigüeya f
to play possum (= sleeping) → fingir estar dormido; (= dead) → hacerse el muerto

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possum [ˈpɒsəm] (mainly US) n → opossum m

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possum

n → Opossum nt, → Beutelratte f; to play possum (sleeping) → sich schlafend stellen; (dead) → sich tot stellen

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possum

n possum [ˈposəm]

(American) opossum. buidelrot تَظاهُر بالجَهْل، تَماوُت опосум vačice opossum; pungrotte μαρσιποφόρο θηλαστικό zarigüeya opossum صاریغ opossumi אוֹפוֹסוּם पॉसम, एक पशु oposum oposszum sejenis hewan berkantung opossum 주머니쥐 oposumas, sterblinë þiurkë oposums pura-pura pungrotte opos опоссум vačica oposum oposum opossum, pungråtta สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยนมมีกระเป๋าหน้าท้อง keseli sıçan 負鼠 опосум ايک قسم کا دودھ پلانے والا جانور thú có túi ôpốt

play possum

to pretend to be dead or asleep. dood speel يَتَظاهَر بالمَوْت правя се на мъртъв dělat mrtvého brouka simulere; lade som om sich tot stellen κάνω τον ψόφιο κοριό fingir estar dormido; hacerse el muerto surnut või magajat teesklema خود را به خواب یا مردن زدن esittää kuollutta הַעֲמָדַת פָּנִים सोने या बेहोशी का बहाना करना praviti se bolestan,simulirati spavanje lapít pura-pura mati/tidur (fingersi morto); (fingere di dormire) 죽은 체 또는 잠든 체하다 apsimesti miegančiam/negyvam aizmigušam berpura-pura late som om en sover/er død, simulere udawać śpiącego/nieżywego мёртвым robiť mŕtveho, predstierať bezvedomie igrati mrtvaka pretvarati se da spavaš spela död, sova räv ซึ่งแกล้งป่วย ölü taklidi yapmak 裝睡，裝作一動不動 прикидатися мертвим سونے کا بہانہ کرنا giả chết; giả vờ ngủ