adj., n., & v.
adj. of a yellowish beige colour (buff envelope).
n. 1 a yellowish beige colour. 2 colloq. an enthusiast, esp. for a particular hobby (railway buff). 3 colloq. the human skin unclothed. 4 a a velvety dull-yellow ox-leather. b (attrib.) (of a garment etc.) made of this (buff gloves). 5 (the Buffs) the former East Kent Regiment (from the colour of its uniform facings).
v.tr. 1 polish (metal, fingernails, etc.). 2 make (leather) velvety like buff, by removing the surface. buff-stick a stick covered with buff and used for polishing. in the buff colloq. naked.
[ orig. sense 'buffalo', prob. f. F buffle; sense 2 of n. orig. f. buff uniforms formerly worn by New York volunteer firemen, applied to enthusiastic fire-watchers ]