sucker

/'sʌkə/

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The word "sucker" has a few different meanings in English, and I'll explain them simply for you.

Basic Definition

1. Fish: In a biological context, a "sucker" refers to a type of freshwater fish found mainly in North America. These fish have a thick-lipped mouth, which they use to suck food from surfaces. They are related to carps.

2. Candy: A "sucker" can also mean a hard candy on a stick, which you can lick or suck on. It is often called a lollipop in some regions.

3. Gullible Person: In informal language, a "sucker" is a person who is easily fooled or taken advantage of. This meaning is more common in casual conversation.

Usage Instructions

• When talking about fish, you might say, "We saw a sucker swimming in the river."
• When referring to candy, you might say, "I bought a cherry sucker from the store."
• To describe someone gullible, you could say, "Don't be a sucker; double-check the information before believing it."

Example Sentences

1. Fish: "The sucker is known for its ability to cling to rocks in fast-moving water."
2. Candy: "She enjoyed her grape sucker while watching the movie."
3. Gullible Person: "He was such a sucker for scams that he lost a lot of money."

Advanced Usage

In advanced contexts, "sucker" can also be used in idiomatic expressions or phrases: - "You sucker!": This can be said jokingly to someone who has been tricked or caught off guard. - "Don’t be a sucker!": A warning to someone not to be naive or easily deceived.

Word Variants

• Suck (verb): The action of drawing in a substance, often liquid, by creating a vacuum.
• Sucking (noun/adjective): The act or process of sucking; can also describe something that is designed to be sucked.

Different Meanings

• The word "sucker" can also refer to a part of a plant (like a shoot that arises from the roots) and to someone who sucks (like a baby sucking on a nipple or a person drinking through a straw).

Synonyms

• For the fish: suckerfish, lip fish.
• For candy: lollipop.
• For gullible person: fool, dupe, patsy, mark.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

• "Sucker for punishment": Someone who enjoys or repeatedly puts themselves in difficult situations.
• "Sucker punch": A surprise attack that is unexpected and often unfair.

Conclusion

The word "sucker" can be used in various contexts, from describing a type of fish to talking about candy or describing a person who is easily deceived.

Academic

Noun

1. mostly North American freshwater fishes with a thick-lipped mouth for feeding by suction; related to carps
2. an organ specialized for sucking nourishment or for adhering to objects by suction
3. hard candy on a stick
4. flesh of any of numerous North American food fishes with toothless jaws
5. a drinker who sucks (as at a nipple or through a straw)
6. a shoot arising from a plant's roots
7. a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of

Synonyms

• lollipop
• all-day sucker
• chump
• fool
• gull
• mark
• patsy
• fall guy
• soft touch
• mug