I. ˈbləf adjective
( -er/-est )
Etymology: obsolete Dutch blaf flat, broad; akin to Middle Low German blaff smooth, even
1.
a. : having a broad flattened front
the bluff bows of a ship
b. : rising steeply with a broad front either flat or rounded
the bluff banks of the river
2. dialect England : surly , rough
3. : having a good-naturedly abrupt, frank, and outspoken manner : heartily blunt
a bluff and rugged natural leader with impulsive determination and an explosive personality — John Warner
a bluff aggressive manner
Synonyms:
blunt , brusque , curt , crusty , gruff : bluff , the only completely complimentary one of these terms, implies a rough, hearty good nature
a bluff, burly, hearty-looking man in a short blue jacket — Kenneth Roberts
a bluff and hearty fellow who looks more like a marine combat officer than the fine musician which he really is — Current Biography
blunt ranges from being a near equivalent to bluff to implying an outspokenness inconsiderate of or discourteous to others
permit me to be businesslike and perhaps blunt, as my train leaves in one hour — Sinclair Lewis
the Herald said the chief of police could best show his own lack of complicity by speedily catching and convicting the murderer or murderers. The editorial was blunt and bitter — Dashiell Hammett
brusque stresses sharp quickness and unceremoniousness
never again would she exclaim, in her brusque tone of genial ruthlessness: “Fiddlesticks” — Arnold Bennett
at first he thought that Dirk was the cause of the disaster, and he was needlessly brusque with him — W.S.Maugham
curt stresses shortness and may or may not imply discourtesy
at breakfast … she was curt. “I don't care to discuss it,” she said — Sinclair Lewis
it was the first of the month and there were curt notes from the water company — John Steinbeck
crusty suggests a harsh, uncivil, irascible manner, sometimes concealing an inner kindliness
the lashing tongue of a crusty disciplinarian — F.V.W.Mason
this crusty old lawyer, who had made no bones about his contempt for the tetrarch — L.C.Douglas
gruff also implies a harsh surly manner and curt, perhaps guttural, utterance
a man's voice, ill-tempered and gruff, rose through the shadowy room — Louis Bromfield
“Fool” said the sophist, in an undertone gruff with contempt — John Keats
II. noun
( -s )
1. : a high steep bank (as by a river or the sea or beside a ravine or plain) : a cliff with a broad face
a fort on the bluff overlooking the junction of the rivers
2. North : a clump of trees on the open plain : grove
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: probably from Dutch bluffen to boast, play a kind of card game, from Middle Dutch, to strike, beat, to swell up, alteration of buffen, boffen, from buf, bof blow, swollen face; probably of imitative origin
transitive verb
1. obsolete : blindfold
2. : to deceive (an opponent in cards) by a bold bet on an inferior hand with the result that the opponent drops a winning hand — often used with out
3.
a. : to deter, dissuade, or frighten by pretense or a mere show of strength : frighten off
with the power of England behind him had bluffed the Hamburg merchants out of participating — W.P.Webb
b. : to cause to believe what is not true : mislead , deceive
wanted to bluff them into thinking that the route of the railroad had been changed
c. : to make a pretense of : feign
the catcher bluffed a throw to first base
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to bet boldly on a poor hand in poker in the hope that an opponent will drop
b. : to make any show of strength not justified by the hand held in a card game with the intention of deceiving an opponent
2. : to make use of pretense, a mere show of strength, or deception : sham
it is destructive of public goodwill to bluff or fake when you cannot give the information requested — Lou Smyth
IV. noun
( -s )
1. : a binder or blinker especially for a horse
2. : straight poker
3.
a. : an act or instance of bluffing
having … nothing to support his pretensions he decided to put up a bluff — Sherwood Anderson
he put on a good bluff
it was all a bluff
b. : the practice of bluffing
the agreement had been reached after weeks of bluff and haggle — Time
4. : one that bluffs
he was pretty much of a bluff