pooh
Definition
Interjection:
- Expression of contempt or impatience: "pooh" is used to dismiss something as unimportant, foolish, or unworthy of serious consideration.
- Expression of disgust: "pooh" can also be used to show that something smells bad or is unpleasant.
Noun (informal):
- Excrement: "pooh" is a childish or euphemistic term for feces.
Usage Examples
Interjection:
- "Pooh!" she said, waving her hand at his silly suggestion. (She dismissed his idea as foolish.)
- He turned up his nose at the rotten food and said, "Pooh! What a stench!" (He expressed disgust at the smell.)
Noun (informal):
- The toddler stepped in dog pooh on the sidewalk. (The child stepped in animal feces.)
- "Don't touch that! It's pooh!" the mother warned her child. (She warned against touching excrement.)
Advanced Usage
- "Pooh-pooh" (verb): to express contempt for or dismiss something as unworthy of consideration. This is a reduplicated form of the interjection.
- The critics pooh-poohed the new film as amateurish. (The critics dismissed the film with contempt.)
Variants and Related Words
- Pooh-pooh (verb): to belittle or reject something.
- She pooh-poohed his idea for a new business venture. (She treated his idea as trivial and unworthy.)
Synonyms
- Interjection:
- Bah: an exclamation of contempt or irritation.
- Pshaw: an expression of disbelief or disdain.
- Noun (informal):
- Doo-doo: a childish term for feces.
- Crap: a vulgar term for excrement.
Related Idioms
- Pooh on something: an old-fashioned expression of rejection or scorn.
- "Pooh on your rules!" he shouted, tearing up the notice. (He expressed strong contempt for the rules.)
Notes on Usage
- As an interjection, "pooh" is now considered somewhat archaic or literary; it is more commonly encountered in older texts or as part of the verb "pooh-pooh."
- As a noun for excrement, "pooh" is primarily used in child-directed speech or informal contexts. In more formal settings, terms like "feces" or "excrement" are preferred.