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duffer

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Duffers
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duff⋅er

  [duhf-er]
Use duffer in a Sentence
–noun
1. Informal.
a. a plodding, clumsy, incompetent person.
b. a person inept or inexperienced at a specific sport, as golf.
2. Northern and North Midland U.S. an old man, esp. a dull or indecisive one.
3. Slang.
a. anything inferior, counterfeit, or useless.
b. a peddler, esp. one who sells cheap, flashy goods.
Origin:
1835–45; perh. Scots dial. duffar, dowfart dull, stupid person, deriv. of dowf; def. 3 perh. re-formation with duff 3 + -er 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Duffers
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duff·er   (dŭf'ər)   
n.  

  1. Informal

    1. An incompetent or dull-witted person.

    2. A casual or mediocre player of a sport, especially golf.

  2. Slang A peddler of cheap merchandise.

  3. Slang Something worthless or useless.


[Origin unknown.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Slang Dictionary
duffer [ˈdəfɚ]

  1. n.
    a foolish oaf; a bumbler. : Pete's just a duffer—he's not really serious at it.
  2. n.
    an unskilled golfer. : Those duffers up ahead are holding up the game.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Word Origin & History

duffer 
"old man," also "bad golfer," 1842, probably from Scot. duffar "dull or stupid person." But perhaps rather from 18c. thieves' slang duff (v.) "to dress or manipulate an old thing and make it look new."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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