View synonyms for buff

buff

[ buhf ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a soft, thick, light-yellow leather with a napped surface, originally made from buffalo skin but later also from other skins, used for making belts, pouches, etc.
a brownish-yellow color; tan.
a buff stick or buff wheel.
a devotee or well-informed student of some activity or subject:
Civil War buffs avidly read the new biography of Grant.
Informal. the bare skin, or the state of being nude:
swimming in the buff;
stripped to his buff.
Also called buffcoat. a thick, short coat of buffalo leather, worn especially by English soldiers and American colonists in the 17th century.
Informal. a buffalo.

adjective

having the color of buff.
made of buff leather.
Slang. physically attractive; muscular.
Synonyms: burnish

verb (used with object)

to clean or polish (metal) or give a grainless finish of high luster to (plated surfaces) with or as if with a buff stick or buff wheel.
to polish or shine, especially with a buffer:
to buff shoes.
to dye or stain in a buff color.

buff

[ buhf ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

(in a video game) to enhance (player characters' attributes or abilities) with a spell, skill, or item:
If you buff your party with a skill that increases movement speed, make sure everyone is in the area of effect—you wouldn’t want to leave your healer in the dust!
to reduce or deaden the force of; act as a buffer.

noun

(in a video game) a category of spell, skill, or item that enhances player characters' attributes or abilities:
Your build is specific to your job class, so a DPS Shaman and a DPS Druid might bring different buffs.
Chiefly British Dialect. a blow; slap.

buff

/ bʌf /

noun

informal.
an expert on or devotee of a given subject
a cheese buff

buff

/ bʌf /

noun

1. a soft thick flexible undyed leather made chiefly from the skins of buffalo, oxen, and elk
2. ( as modifier )
  a buff coat
1. a dull yellow or yellowish-brown colour
2. ( as adjective )
  buff paint
Also calledbuffer
1. a cloth or pad of material used for polishing an object
2. a flexible disc or wheel impregnated with a fine abrasive for polishing metals, etc, with a power tool
informal.
one's bare skin (esp in the phrase in the buff )

verb

to clean or polish (a metal, floor, shoes, etc) with a buff
to remove the grain surface of (a leather)

buff

/ bʌf /

verb

tr to deaden the force of

noun

archaic.
a blow or buffet (now only in the phrase blind man's buff )

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Other Words From

buffa·bili·ty noun
buffa·ble adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of buff¹

First recorded in 1545–55; 1900–05 buff ¹fordef 4; earlier buffe “wild ox,” back formation from buffle, from Middle French, from Late Latin būfalus; buffalo; buff ¹( def 4 ) originally a person enthusiastic about firefighting and firefighters, allegedly after the buff-colored uniforms once worn by volunteer firefighters in New York City

Origin of buff²

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English buffe “blow; clash.” back formation from buffet ²

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Word History and Origins

Origin of buff¹

C20: originally US: an enthusiastic fire watcher, from the buff-coloured uniforms worn by volunteer firemen in New York City

Origin of buff²

C16: from Old French buffle , from Old Italian bufalo , from Late Latin būfalus buffalo

Origin of buff³

C15: back formation from buffet ²

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Idioms and Phrases

see in the buff .

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Example Sentences

Then Ziegler tosses the buff LaBeouf around like a rag doll.

From The Daily Beast

Have you always been a history buff, or a military history buff?

From The Daily Beast

The lacquer cures for 72 hours, and then is sanded by hand to buff out any imperfections.

From The Daily Beast

Luckily I have a friend who is both an opera buff and pothead.

From The Daily Beast

Before William entered the pool, Charles joked, "I know my eldest will now demonstrate his buff credentials".

From The Daily Beast

Then throw away the bees and lay the stings gently but firmly on a mash composed of the breasts of five Buff Orpington cockerels.

From Project Gutenberg

They were a warm, golden cream and a very delicate buff, which made the rooms seem lighter.

From Project Gutenberg

The boy was clad in a grey suit of the finest cloth, laid down with silver lace, with a buff-coloured cloak of the same pattern.

From Project Gutenberg

"It's lucky in another way," he added, staring darkly at the buff-coloured wall that separated them from Number 13.

From Project Gutenberg

Gills: Equal, brittle, broad; yellow-buff color in all stages.

From Project Gutenberg

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April 24, 2024gallimaufry

[gal-uh-maw-free ]

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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