I. ˈbəf noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English buffe, from Middle French, of imitative origin
now chiefly dialect : buffet , blow
a buff on the head
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
chiefly Scotland : strike , beat
III. adverb
archaic : firmly , sturdily — used in the phrase to stand buff
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French buffle, from Old Italian bufalo — more at buffalo
1. : a buffalo or other wild ox
2.
a. : buff leather
b. : a garment made of buff leather ; especially : a buff leather uniform or military garment
3. : the bare skin
4.
a. : a moderate orange yellow
b. : a light to moderate yellow
5.
[ buff (VI) ]
: any of various devices employed in buffing: as
a. : buff stick
b. : a device (as a stick or block) having a soft absorbent surface (as of cloth or velvet) by which polishing material is applied (as to the fingernails)
c. : buffing wheel
6. : a country cattlehide weighing 45 to 60 pounds untrimmed
7.
a.
[so called from the buff overcoats worn by volunteer firemen in New York City ab 1820]
: an enthusiast about going to fires
b. : fan , enthusiast , devotee
theater buffs of all sorts
twelve-year-old history buffs should have a fine time with this big volume — Katharine T. Kinkead
V. adjective
1. : made of or like buff leather
2. : of the color buff
VI. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. : to polish with a buff ; broadly : polish , shine
shoes freshly buffed
buffing her nails on her sleeve
2. : to give a buff or velvety surface to (leather)
3. : to color or stain buff (as willow rods)
VII. noun
( -s )
Etymology: origin unknown
Scotland : silly talk : nonsense
VIII. intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: back-formation from buffer (III)
: to act as a buffer in preventing contact or deadening the shock of contact
IX. adjective
or buffed ˈbəft
Etymology: buff; buffed (V) from past participle of buff (VI)
: having a physique enhanced by body building exercises