I. ˈfəz noun
( -es )
Etymology: probably back-formation from fuzzy
1. obsolete : puffball 1
2. : a mass of fluffy particles or fibers: as
a. : the short hairs remaining on the seed of most cotton varieties after removal of the longer lint fibers
b. : fibers that project from the surface of a sheet of paper or are not firmly incorporated into it
c. : the beard of an adolescent boy
although a little fuzz had recently begun to appear, had no real excuse for shaving — J.R.Gallagher
3. : a blurred effect
the rainbow-colored fuzz of streetlight nebula — MacKinlay Kantor
4. slang : an officer of the law : policeman
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
intransitive verb
: to fly off in or become covered with fluffy particles : become fuzzy
angora tends to fuzz
— often used with out
watch the cat's tail fuzz out when she's angry
fuzzing out of the legal concept … to comprise another new crime — Gerard Piel
transitive verb
1. : to cover with fluff : make fuzzy
the land was fuzzed with buffalo grass — W.A.White
2. : to envelop in a haze : blur
my head was still badly fuzzed from the drink — Ralph Ellison
— usually used with up
fuzz up the argument
if a little haze fuzzes up the lamps they say it's all closed in — C.A.Lindbergh b. 1902