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possum Definition

☆ pos·sum (päs′əm)

noun

Informal opossum

possum Idioms

play possum

to pretend to be asleep, dead, ill, unaware, etc.: an opossum may become motionless when endangered

possum Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • play: Still, she can't quite prove that he's playing possum.
  • see: The gates are open round the clock and you stand a good chance of seeing tame possums after dark.
  • find: LOUIS: ( releases dog ) How's he know how to find a possum?

Adjective modifier

  • little: Little Possums - Sells slings & baby carriers to carry your little children.
  • Australian: An estimated 80 million Australian possums, for instance, are wreaking havoc on native forests and gardens.
  • brush-tailed: In New Zealand, the brush-tailed possum is considered to be the culprit.

Modifies a noun

  • skin: He had his spears and hunting gear and wore possum skin clothing.

Noun used with modifier

  • brushtail: Originally forest animals, brushtail possums are found in a wide range of environments, from forests to cities.
possum Quotes

I seldom go to films. Theyare too exciting said the Honourable Possum.

—Berryman,John originally John Allyn Smith