BUFFET


Meaning of BUFFET in English

I. ˈbə-fət noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, diminutive of buffe blow

Date: 13th century

1. : a blow especially with the hand

2. : something that strikes with telling force

II. verb

Date: 13th century

transitive verb

1. : to strike sharply especially with the hand : cuff

2. : to strike repeatedly : batter

the waves buffet ed the shore

3. : to drive, force, move, or attack by or as if by repeated blows

intransitive verb

: to make one's way especially under difficult conditions

III. (ˌ)bə-ˈfā, bü-ˈ, Brit esp ˈbü-ˌ noun

Etymology: French

Date: 1718

1. : sideboard

2.

a. : a counter for refreshments

b. chiefly British : a restaurant operated as a public convenience (as in a railway station)

c. : a meal set out on a buffet or table for ready access and informal service

IV. same as 3 adjective

Date: 1898

: served informally (as from a buffet)

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.