Etymology : Middle French buffle wild ox, from Old Italian bufalo
Pronunciation : 'b&f
Function : noun
Date : 1580
1. skin of an ox; light yellow color; person who is very interested in or enthusiastic about a particular subject (i.e. history buff). color a pale yellow. having a light yellow coloring; of or relating to a person who is very interested in or enthusiastic about a particular subject (i.e. history buff). big; muscular; brave; oversized: "That dude is buff! ". buff\buff\, a.
2. made of buff leather.
3. of the color of buff.buff coat, a close, military outer garment, with short sleeves, and laced tightly over the chest, made of buffalo skin, or other thick and elastic material, worn by soldiers in the 17th century as a defensive covering.buff jerkin, originally, a leather waistcoat; afterward, one of cloth of a buff color. [obs.]buff stick (mech.), a strip of wood covered with buff leather, used in polishing.buff \buff\ (bŭf), n. [oe. buff, buffe, buff, buffalo, f. buffle buffalo. see:
buffalo.].
4. a sort of leather, prepared from the skin of the buffalo, dressed with oil, like chamois; also, the skins of oxen, elks, and other animals, dressed in like manner. "a suit of buff.".
5. the color of buff; a light yellow, shading toward pink, gray, or brown. a visage rough, deformed, unfeatured, and a skin of buff.
6. a military coat, made of buff leather.
7. (med.) the grayish viscid substance constituting the buffy coat. see:
buffy coat, under buffy, a.
8. (mech.) a wheel covered with buff leather, and used in polishing cutlery, spoons, etc.
9. the bare skin; as, to strip to the buff. [colloq.] to be in buff is equivalent to being naked.buff \buff\, v. t. to polish with a buff. see:
buff, n., 5.buff \buff\, v. t. [of. bufer to cuff, buffet. see:
buffet a blow.] to strike. [obs.] jonson.buff \buff\, n. [see:
buffet.] a buffet; a blow; -- obsolete except in the phrase "blindman's buff." nathless so sore a buff to him it lent that made him reel.buff \buff\, a. [of uncertain etymol.] firm; sturdy. and for the good old cause stood buff, 'gainst many a bitter kick and cuff.buff of the color of buff leather n.
10. an ardent follower [syn: fan, devotee, lover, afficionado].
11. a soft thick undyed leather from the skins of e.g. buffalo or oxen.
12. bare skin; "swimming in the buff".
13. a medium to dark tan color [syn: yellowish brown, raw sienna , caramel, caramel brown].
14. an implement consisting of soft material mounted on a block; used for polishing (as in manicuring) [syn: buffer] v 1: strike, beat repeatedly; "the wind buffeted him" [syn: buffet] 2: polish and make shiny; "buff the wooden floors"; "buff my shoes" [syn: burnish, furbish, flush].
15. A sort of leather, prepared from the skin of the buffalo, dressed with oil, like chamois; also, the skins of oxen, elks, and other animals, dressed in like manner.
16. The color of buff; a light yellow, shading toward pink, gray, or brown.
17. A military coat, made of buff leather.
18. The grayish viscid substance constituting the buffy coat.
19. See Buffy coat, under Buffy, a.
20. A wheel covered with buff leather, and used in polishing cutlery, spoons, etc.
21. The bare skin; as, to strip to the buff.
22. Made of buff leather.
23. Of the color of buff.
24. To polish with a buff.
25. See Buff, n., 5.
26. To strike.
27. A buffet; a blow; obsolete except in the phrase "Blindman's buff." Firm; sturdy. an implement consisting of soft material mounted on a block; used for polishing bare skin; "swimming in the buff" a soft thick undyed leather from the skins of e.g. buffalo or oxen polish and make shiny; "buff the wooden floors"; "buff my shoes" of the color of buff leather.
28. 1. Something that is buff is pale brown in colour. He took a largish buff envelope from his pocket.
29. You use buff to describe someone who knows a lot about a particular subject. For example, if you describe someone as a film buff, you mean that they know a lot about films. Judge Lanier is a real film buff = enthusiast.
30. If you buff the surface of something, for example your car or your shoes, you rub it with a piece of soft material in order to make it shine. He was already buffing the car's hubs. = polish + buffing buff·ing Regular buffing helps prevent nails from splitting. buff up to polish something with a cloth.