I'm not that smart, what's the difference (satire warning)

TrialKingTrialKing
edited November 2022 in General

What's the difference between being snuggly and cuddly? Are they made up terms is there true difference? What if someone is snuggly but not cuddly or vise versa? Are the terms interchangeable then why even invent the other word? Should I start rival website snugglecomfort.com?

Comments

  • CuddleDuncanCuddleDuncan Mod
    edited November 2022

    I've often thought about this. The picture is confused by the use of snuggle as a euphemism for sex, but that's a horse of a different colour.

    cuddle, v.
    A dialectical or nursery word of uncertain derivation
    1.
    a. transitive. To press or draw close within the arms, so as to make warm and ‘cosy’; to hug or embrace affectionately, to fondle
    c1520 [first instance]
    1825 J. T. Brockett Gloss. North Country Words Cuddle, to embrace, to squeeze, to hug.

    snuggle, v.
    Of obscure origin
    1.
    a. intransitive. Of persons, esp. children: To lie snug or close, esp. for warmth or comfort; to settle down cosily or comfortably; to get or press close to a person, esp. as a mark of affection; to nestle
    1688 [first instance]

    OED

    From both the dictionary definitions and my observation of the words in the wild, I would say that snuggle could be considered a particular form of cuddle. A snuggle is less active, more cosy, and much more likely to involve lying or reclining.

    The transitive/intransitive difference is also interesting.

    However, animals can snuggle. No argument about that. But I'm not sure they can cuddle... Maybe chimpanzees can?

  • CuddleWhoCuddleWho

    the use of snuggle as a euphemism for sex

    FWIW I don't think I've ever heard this.

  • CuddleDuncanCuddleDuncan Mod

    @CuddleWho I first encountered it on The Simpsons. But I don't think it's that widespread.

  • achetocuddleachetocuddle

    I've heard of snuggle being used as a euphemism for sex also, but like CuddleDuncan I don't think it's widespread.

  • CharlieBearCharlieBear Mod

    I view cuddling as more active, like the people involved are in various cuddle positions doing things like caressing an arm or running fingers through hair, etc. whereas snuggling is more passive, like you are sharing an embrace with someone but just holding each other while being relatively motionless. But I am interested in knowing if there is an actual difference that differs from what I assume here.

  • WarmlyheartedWarmlyhearted
    edited November 2022

    We've all heard of Bill Cosby's struggle snuggle, but that is an entirely different kettle of fish...

    To me, cuddling is what we all kind of expect it to be, closeness, actively or passively... As a mother would cuddle her child for example.

    Snuggling, at least for me adds an emotional level - like when two people cuddle and connect on an additional level.

    If I would be asked to cuddle or snuggle from someone on this site, I'd see both as interchangable, however if I was asked for the latter, I would look to connect on another level beyond a simple cuddle (an example is a conversation that would connect us both through either a shared experience or similarly experienced things).

    Edited for spelling.

  • ReltvlyCanshesReltvlyCanshes
    edited November 2022

    My first thought would be. Every single term is made up, there isn’t one term that was grown from the ground, hatched or immaculately conceived. Even the term term.

    My second thought is yes, you should create a bizarro cuddleverse and call it SnuggleSucor.com (i did a quick synonym search for sucor. So maybe it’s wrong.) bizzaro world where it’s the men who get to be pros and have limitless snuggle opportunities.

    I’ve used a lot of words to insinuate sex and snuggle would be an easy one to see as that.

  • _marC_marC

  • DaringSprinterDaringSprinter

    @BashfulLoner: "Succor" implies the one receiving it is in a worse state than "comfort" does (everyone likes to be comfortable; not everyone needs aid), but the two are broadly synonymous.

    It's difficult to come up with something that works. Nothing sounds quite right to me. SnuggleSatisfaction. SnuggleSolace. SnuggleSanctuary. The more combinations I try, the less "snuggle" looks like a word. Oh well.

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