51³Ô¹Ï

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buff

1

[buhf]

noun

  1. a soft, thick, light-yellow leather with a napped surface, originally made from buffalo skin but later also from other skins, used for making belts, pouches, etc.

  2. a brownish-yellow color; tan.

  3. a buff stick or buff wheel.

  4. a devotee or well-informed student of some activity or subject.

    Civil War buffs avidly read the new biography of Grant.

  5. Informal.Ìýthe bare skin, or the state of being nude.

    swimming in the buff;

    stripped to his buff.

  6. Also called buffcoat.Ìýa thick, short coat of buffalo leather, worn especially by English soldiers and American colonists in the 17th century.

  7. Informal.Ìýa buffalo.



adjective

  1. having the color of buff.

  2. made of buff leather.

  3. Slang.Ìýphysically attractive; muscular.

    Synonyms:

verb (used with object)

  1. to clean or polish (metal) or give a grainless finish of high luster to (plated surfaces) with or as if with a buff stick or buff wheel.

  2. to polish or shine, especially with a buffer.

    to buff shoes.

  3. to dye or stain in a buff color.

buff

2

[buhf]

verb (used with object)

  1. (in a video game) to enhance (player characters' attributes or abilities) with a spell, skill, or item.

    If you buff your party with a skill that increases movement speed, make sure everyone is in the area of effect—you wouldn’t want to leave your healer in the dust!

  2. to reduce or deaden the force of; act as a buffer.

noun

  1. (in a video game) a category of spell, skill, or item that enhances player characters' attributes or abilities.

    Your build is specific to your job class, so a DPS Shaman and a DPS Druid might bring different buffs.

  2. Chiefly British Dialect.Ìýa blow; slap.

buff

1

/ ²úÊŒ´Ú /

noun

    1. a soft thick flexible undyed leather made chiefly from the skins of buffalo, oxen, and elk

    2. ( as modifier )

      a buff coat

    1. a dull yellow or yellowish-brown colour

    2. ( as adjective )

      buff paint

  1. Also called: buffer.Ìý

    1. a cloth or pad of material used for polishing an object

    2. a flexible disc or wheel impregnated with a fine abrasive for polishing metals, etc, with a power tool

  2. informalÌýone's bare skin (esp in the phrase in the buff )

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to clean or polish (a metal, floor, shoes, etc) with a buff

  2. to remove the grain surface of (a leather)

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

buff

2

/ ²úÊŒ´Ú /

verb

  1. (tr) to deaden the force of

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. archaicÌýa blow or buffet (now only in the phrase blind man's buff )

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

buff

3

/ ²úÊŒ´Ú /

noun

  1. informalÌýan expert on or devotee of a given subject

    a cheese buff

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51³Ô¹Ï Forms

  • buffability noun
  • buffable adjective
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of buff1

First recorded in 1545–55; 1900–05 buff 1 for def. 4; earlier buffe “wild ox,†back formation from buffle, from Middle French, from Late Latin ²úÅ«´Ú²¹±ô³Ü²õ; buffalo; buff 1 ( def. 4 ) originally a person enthusiastic about firefighting and firefighters, allegedly after the buff-colored uniforms once worn by volunteer firefighters in New York City

Origin of buff2

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English buffe “blow; clash.†back formation from buffet 2
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of buff1

C16: from Old French buffle , from Old Italian bufalo , from Late Latin ²úÅ«´Ú²¹±ô³Ü²õ buffalo

Origin of buff2

C15: back formation from buffet ²

Origin of buff3

C20: originally US: an enthusiastic fire watcher, from the buff-coloured uniforms worn by volunteer firemen in New York City
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Idioms and Phrases

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Visiting Hadrian's Wall is next on the agenda for history buff Paul; and he's looking forward to one of his daughters graduating later this year.

From

Hopkins kept busy part of the time with his job cleaning Alcatraz, sweeping the floors and buffing them "until they shined", he said.

From

That doesn’t mean he finds it easily, because the rough edges of this story could never be buffed out into a biopic like “Bohemian Rhapsody†or an hour-long episode of VH1’s “Behind the Music.â€

From

Like any good horror buff, Sandberg knows that the best examples need only a few well-honed elements to work: a group of young people, the aforementioned scary cabin and, in this case, clowns.

From

Many filmmakers who are movie buffs have been lovers of movies since they were kids.

From

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When To Use

What else does buff mean?

Buff originally refers to light-yellow leather made from buffalo skins. It has taken on many slang terms, though, including:



  • being naked


  • shining up something


  • being muscular and fit


  • being particularly knowledgeable about something


  • and, in gaming lingo, strengthening a player's stats.


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