possum

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: pos=sum

CIDE DICTIONARY

possum, n. [Shortened from opossum.].

 An opossum.  [1913 Webster]

To play possum, To act possum, to feign ignorance, indifference or inattention, with the intent to deceive; to dissemble; -- in allusion to the habit of the opossum, which feigns death when attacked or alarmed.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

possum, n.
1 colloq. = OPOSSUM 1.
2 Austral. & NZ colloq. a phalanger resembling an American opossum.

Idiom

play possum
1 pretend to be asleep or unconscious when threatened.
2 feign ignorance.

Etymology

abbr.

THESAURUS

possum

Cape polecat, ape, bar, bear, cavy, chimp, chimpanzee, coon, ferret, foumart, glutton, groundhog, guinea pig, hedgehog, monk, monkey, mousehound, opossum, polecat, porcupine, prairie dog, quill pig, raccoon, skunk, weasel, whistle-pig, wolverine, woodchuck, zoril