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Civet vs Skunk - What's the difference?

civet | skunk |

As nouns the difference between civet and skunk

is that civet is a carnivorous catlike animal that produces a musky secretion. It is two to three feet long, with black bands and spots on the body and tail while skunk is any of various small mammals, of the family Mephitidae, native to North and Central America, having a glossy black with a white coat and two musk glands at the base of the tail for emitting a noxious smell as a defensive measure.

As a verb skunk is

to defeat so badly as to prevent any opposing points.

civet

English

Noun

(wikipedia civet) (en noun)
  • A carnivorous catlike animal that produces a musky secretion. It is two to three feet long, with black bands and spots on the body and tail.
  • The musky perfume produced by the animal.
  • * 1599 ,
    • LEONATO. Indeed he looks younger than he did, by the loss of a beard.
    DON PEDRO. Nay, a' rubs himself with civet : can you smell him out by that?
    CLAUDIO. That's as much as to say the sweet youth's in love.

    Anagrams

    * ----

    skunk

    English

    (wikipedia skunk)

    Etymology 1

    At first spelt squunck, from the (etyl) name for the animal, .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any of various small mammals, of the family Mephitidae, native to North and Central America, having a glossy black with a white coat and two musk glands at the base of the tail for emitting a noxious smell as a defensive measure.
  • (slang) A despicable person.
  • (slang) A walkover victory in sports or board games, as when the opposing side is unable to score. Compare shutout.
  • (cribbage) A win by 30 or more points.
    • Derived terms
    * drunk as a skunk * skunky

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To defeat so badly as to prevent any opposing points.
    • I skunked him at cards.
    We fished all day but the lake skunked us.
  • (cribbage) To win by 30 or more points.
  • to go bad, to spoil

    • See also

    * Mephitidae * Mephitis * * * polecat

    Etymology 2

    , influenced by the animal (Etymology 1).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A member of a hybrid skinhead and punk subculture.
  • * 2006 , Pam Nilan, Carles Feixa, Global Youth?: Hybrid Identities, Plural Worlds (page 192)
    • In the early 1980s, certain ex-punks joined them, becoming 'skunks' – a hybrid subculture of skinheads and punks.
  • * 2011 , Gerard DeGroot (quoting Brown), Seventies Unplugged

    • Etymology 3

    From

    Noun

  • (slang) (marijuana).
  • Any of the strains of hybrids of Cannabis sativa'' and ''Cannabis indica that may have THC levels exceeding those of typical hashish.
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