possumpos‧sum /ˈpɒsəm $ ˈpɑː-/ (also opossum) noun [countable] 
Word Origin
Word OriginWORD ORIGINpossum
ExamplesOrigin:
1600-1700 opossumEXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
word sets- As the day winds on, he collects a few possums, a couple of skunks.
- Glover eased back in his chair and played possum.
- Human possums avoid conflict by agreeing with whichever side is talking to them at the time.
- If this fails to deter the enemy, the possum promptly drops dead.
- Out of Canberra you can see wombats, possums and kangaroos at dusk if you leave the main road.
WORD SETS► Animals
Collocationsaardvark, nounadder, nounAfghan, nounalley cat, nounalligator, nounalpaca, nounAlsatian, nounamphibian, nounamphibious, adjectiveangora, nounanimal, nounanteater, nounantelope, nounanthropoid, adjectiveantler, nounape, nounappaloosa, nounarachnid, nounarmadillo, nounasp, nounass, nounbaa, verbbaboon, nounbaby, nounbadger, nounbantam, nounbark, verbbark, nounbarnacle, nounbasset, nounbat, nounbay, nounbay, verbbay, adjectivebeagle, nounbear, nounbeast, nounbeast of burden, nounbeaver, nounbellow, verbbellow, nounbelly, nounbig cat, nounbig game, nounbighorn sheep, nounbilly goat, nounbiped, nounbison, nounbitch, nounbivalve, nounbleat, verbbloodhound, nounbloodstream, nounblow-hole, nounboa, nounboar, nounbobcat, nounbovine, adjectivebow-wow, nounboxer, nounbrainwave, nounbrindled, adjectivebristle, verbbronc, nounbronco, nounbrontosaurus, nounbrush, nounbuck, nounbuffalo, nounbull, nounbulldog, nounbullfrog, nounbullock, nounbull terrier, nounburro, nounburrow, nouncalf, nouncall, nouncalve, verbcamel, nouncanine, adjectivecanine, nouncarapace, nouncarcass, nouncaribou, nouncarnivore, nouncarthorse, nouncat, nouncattle, nouncaudal, adjectivecayman, nouncetacean, nounchameleon, nounchamois, nouncheetah, nounchestnut, nounchickadee, nounchicken, nounchihuahua, nounchimpanzee, nounchinchilla, nounchipmunk, nounchow, nounclaw, nouncloven hoof, nouncoat, nouncob, nouncobra, nouncocker spaniel, nouncold-blooded, adjectivecollie, nouncolouring, nouncolt, nouncomb, nounconnective tissue, nouncony, nouncoon, nouncopperhead, nouncorgi, nouncougar, nouncourtship, nouncow, nouncoyote, nouncoypu, nouncrest, nouncrocodile, nouncrop, verbcrustacean, nouncry, nouncub, nouncur, noundachshund, nounDalmatian, noundeer, nounden, noundentine, noundingo, noundinosaur, noundoe, noundog, noundolphin, noundomesticate, verbdonkey, noundormouse, noundorsal, adjectivedromedary, nounduckbilled platypus, nounearthworm, nounelephant, nounelk, nounentrails, nounermine, nounewe, nounexcreta, nounexcretion, nounfallopian tube, nounfallow deer, nounfang, nounfauna, nounfawn, nounfeed, nounfeeler, nounfeline, adjectivefeline, nounfemale, adjectivefemale, nounferal, adjectiveferret, nounfetlock, nounfieldmouse, nounfilly, nounfin, nounfleece, nounflipper, nounflying fox, nounfoal, nounfoal, verbfoetus, nounforefoot, nounforeleg, nounfox, nounfoxhound, nounfox terrier, nounFriesian, nounfrog, nounfrogspawn, nounfruit bat, nounfur, nounfurry, adjectivegarter snake, noungazelle, noungecko, noungeese, gelding, noungerbil, nounGerman shepherd, noungestation, noungiant panda, noungibbon, noungiraffe, noungnu, noungoat, noungolden retriever, noungopher, noungorilla, noungregarious, adjectivegreyhound, noungroundhog, nounground squirrel, noungrunt, verbguinea pig, nounhack, nounhackles, nounhairless, adjectivehamster, nounhare, nounhart, nounhaunch, nounhedgehog, nounheifer, nounhen, nounherbivore, nounherd, nounhermit crab, nounhibernate, verbhind, adjectivehind, nounhindquarters, nounhippo, nounhippopotamus, nounhock, nounhog, nounhoof, nounhorned, adjectivehorse, nounhound, nounhowl, verbhump, nounhusky, nounhyaena, nounhybrid, nounhyena, nounibex, nouniguana, nounimpala, nouninbred, adjectiveinbreeding, nouninsectivore, nouninterbreed, verbinvertebrate, nounjackal, nounjackrabbit, nounjaguar, nounjellyfish, nounJersey, nounkangaroo, nounkid, nounkoala, nounkookaburra, nounLabrador, nounlair, nounlamb, nounlemming, nounleopard, nounlion, nounlioness, nounlitter, nounlitter, verblizard, nounllama, nounlonghorn, nounlugworm, nounlynx, nounmale, nounmamba, nounmammal, nounmammary, adjectivemammoth, nounmandible, nounmandrill, nounmane, nounman-eater, nounmare, nounmarmoset, nounmarsupial, nounmarten, nounmastitis, nounmate, nounmate, verbmating, nounmaw, nounmenagerie, nounmew, verbmiaow, verbmice, nounmigrant, nounmilk, verbmimic, verbmimic, nounmink, nounmole, nounmollusc, nounmongoose, nounmongrel, nounmonkey, nounmoo, verbmoose, nounmoult, verbmountain goat, nounmountain lion, nounmouse, nounmule, nounmuskrat, nounmussel, nounmustang, nounmutt, nounmuzzle, nounnag, nounnanny goat, nounnative, adjectivenative, nounnest, nounnewt, nounnocturnal, adjectiveocelot, nounoctopus, nounoffspring, nounoink, interjectionokapi, nounOld English sheepdog, nounomnivore, nounomnivorous, adjectiveopossum, nounorangutang, nounotter, nounox, nounpachyderm, nounpack, nounpad, nounpair, nounpanda, nounpanther, nounparasite, nounparasitic, adjectivepaw, nounpaw, verbpeccary, nounpedigree, adjectivepeke, nounPekinese, nounpelt, nounPersian cat, nounpest, nounpheasant, nounpiebald, adjectivepied, adjectivepig, nounpiggy, nounpiglet, nounpincer, nounpine marten, nounpinto, nounpit bull terrier, nounpit pony, nounplankton, nounplate, nounplatypus, nounpointer, nounpolar bear, nounpolecat, nounpolyp, nounpony, nounpooch, nounpoodle, nounporcupine, nounporker, nounporpoise, nounPortuguese man-of-war, nounpossum, nounpouch, nounprairie dog, nounprance, verbpredation, nounpredator, nounpredatory, adjectiveprehensile, adjectiveprey, nounprickle, nounpride, nounprimate, nounproboscis, nounprocreate, verbprowl, verbpterodactyl, nounpuffin, nounpug, nounpullet, nounpuma, nounpup, nounpurebred, adjectivepurr, verbpussy, nounpython, nounquack, verbquadruped, nounquill, nounrabbit, nounrabbit warren, nounrabid, adjectiveraccoon, nounracoon, nounram, nounrat, nounrattler, nounrattlesnake, nounravening, adjectivereindeer, nounreptile, nounretract, verbretriever, nounrhesus monkey, nounrhino, nounrhinoceros, nounroan, nounrodent, nounroe deer, nounrottweiler, nounruminant, nounruminate, verbrump, nounrunt, nounrut, nounsable, nounsac, nounsalamander, nounsausage dog, nounscavenge, verbschool, nounscorpion, nounseal, nounsea lion, nounseashell, nounsea urchin, nounsemen, nounserpent, nounsetter, nounsex, verbshed, verbsheep, nounsheepdog, nounShetland pony, nounshire horse, nounshrew, nounshrimp, nounSiamese cat, nounsilkworm, nounsimian, adjectivesire, nounskin, nounskunk, nounsloth, nounslug, nounsnail, nounsnake, nounsnakebite, nounsnarl, verbsniffer dog, nounsnout, nounsocial, adjectivesow, nounspaniel, nounspawn, verbspawn, nounsperm whale, nounsponge, nounspoor, nounspore, nounspringbok, nounsquid, nounsquirrel, nounstag, nounstallion, nounstarfish, nounSt Bernard, nounsteed, nounsteer, nounsting, nounstinger, nounstoat, nounstomach, nounstray, adjectivestray, nounstud, nounsucker, nounsuckle, verbsuckling, nounswine, nountadpole, nountail, nountame, adjectivetame, verbtapeworm, nountapir, nounteat, nountentacle, nounterrapin, nounterrier, nounterritorial, adjectiveterritory, nountiger, nountigress, nountoad, nountom, nountomcat, nountooth, nountortoise, nountortoiseshell, nountrumpet, verbtrunk, nountufted, adjectiveturtle, nountusk, nountyrannosaurus, nounudder, nounuterus, nounvampire bat, nounvent, nounvermin, nounvertebrate, nounvicuña, nounviper, nounvivarium, nounvixen, nounvole, nounwag, verbwallaby, nounwallow, verbwalrus, nounwarm-blooded, adjectivewarren, nounwarthog, nounwater buffalo, nounwater rat, nounwater vole, nounweasel, nounweevil, nounwhale, nounwhelk, nounwhelp, nounwhelp, verbwhinny, verbwhippet, nounwhisker, nounwild boar, nounwildcat, nounwildebeest, nounwildfowl, nounwinkle, nounwithers, nounwolf, nounwolfhound, nounwombat, nounwool, nounyak, nounyap, verbyap, nounyearling, nounyelp, nounYorkshire terrier, nounyoung, nounzebra, nounzoologist, nounzoology, nounzygote, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB► play
Phrases· Glover eased back in his chair and played possum.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► play possum
1one of various types of small furry animals that climb trees and live in America or Australia2play possum informal to pretend to be asleep or dead so that someone will not annoy or hurt you- Glover eased back in his chair and played possum.