Talk:waffle

Additional sense: to ramble on aimlessly

I have added an additional definition for "waffle." The American definition (to speak evasively) is distinct from the Australian (probably Commonwealth) meaning, which is to ramble on absentmindedly without any real aim or purpose. The distinction is highlighted here: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-waf1.htm

I added some citations for the verbal form (it's usually used in the form "waffled on"). However, I've never heard the noun form used, so I've refrained from adding it. Ackatsis 01:06, 28 July 2010 (UTC)

Quotations

I will temporarily store quotations here: — Beobach 16:46, 22 November 2010 (UTC)

waffle, noun: architecture

• 1993, James E. Ambrose, Building structures, page 316:

  Waffle construction consists of two-way spanning joists that are formed in a manner similar to that for one-way spanning joists, using forming units of metal, plastic, or cardboard to produce the void spaces between the joists. [...] the large opening for a stair or elevator results in a portion of the waffle (the remainder of the bay containing the opening) being considerably out of square, that is, having one span considerably greater than the other.

verb: pursued vacillatingly

• 1995, James B. Stockdale, Thoughts of a philosophical fighter pilot, page 115:

  And then on the ship I gave lectures about the war, not only the Tonkin Gulf affair but the overall way the war was waffled and screwed up by doves in hawks' clothing. [...]

verb: make a waffle pattern across

• 2009, Tony Hillerman, Dance Hall of the Dead:

  Isaacs gestured across the gridwork of strings waffling the grassy ridge.

verb: press a waffle pattern into; or, adj (waffled): having a waffle pattern

• 2003, Judith Barnes, Salthill: A Novel, page 175:

  The vault of the roof was waffled with crossbeams.

verb: to riddle (or adj: riddled)

• 1984, Natasha Peters, Darkness Into Light, page 4:

  The stocking had been darned so many times that even the darns were waffled with darns, and now the worn cotton had simply rotted away.

• 1985, Kirkus reviews: Volume 53, Issues 19-24:

  But nothing could make Steve "keep my pecker in my pants" and their marriage was waffled with infidelities (Lee Remick, among other costars, wanted a piece of his magnetism). Worse, Steve's coke addiction and heavy use of pot drove him [...]

• 2004, Stephanie Bond, Party Crashers, page 235:

  Salyers exited and Jolie glanced at the notepad — the first several pages were waffled with handwritten notes. Even upside down, she could make out "Goodmans" all over the page. She covered her mouth with her hand in an attempt to knock back the panic.

verb: to send?

• 1972, Hearings: Volume 2^[1]:

  Mr. ROONEY. After these memorandums were waffled to her, you received no information at all with regard to frauds?

  Miss WATSON. I received no figures. I did receive a memorandum in which Miss Knight said she was not going to send any report until it was completed.

verb: to talk nonsense to?

• 1980, Martin Walker, The money soldiers, page 60:

  I waffled him about our Rhodesian interests, but I don't think he bought it."

verb: to "water down"

• 1971, Douglas Luther Strole, Newsgathering at the Pentagon: Volume 1, page 48:

  Instead, the media said that Pentagon replies to news inquiries often were delayed for days, while they were "waffled," diluted and dressed up to avoid any controversial or embarrassing revelation.

RFV-discussion

A sense was removed after this RFV discussion. — Beobach 23:37, 10 December 2010 (UTC)

The following information has failed Wiktionary's verification process.

Failure to be verified means that insufficient eligible citations of this usage have been found, and the entry therefore does not meet Wiktionary inclusion criteria at the present time. We have archived here the disputed information, the verification discussion, and any documentation gathered so far, pending further evidence.
Do not re-add this information to the article without also submitting proof that it meets Wiktionary's criteria for inclusion.

---

waffle

Rfv-sense: Police slang. Any takers? --EncycloPetey 14:47, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

I've added one cite. This is a hard one. Incidentally, based on the hits I found, we seem to be missing some senses; I added a few that I could figure out (people waffling their hands to indicate vacillation; a waffled surface), but there seem to be yet others, if anyone's up to it. —Ruakh_TALK 18:57, 12 July 2009 (UTC)

I'm still working on this (and waffled) — for one thing distinguishing the two categories of senses by their differing etymologies — but note what I've done to the sense in question. I made it more general. — Beobach 18:29, 22 November 2010 (UTC)

Even a general iteration of that sense still seems to fail RFV, however... — Beobach 05:08, 25 November 2010 (UTC)

RFV-failed sense removed. — Beobach 01:20, 2 December 2010 (UTC)