baff

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bæf/
• Rhymes: -æf

Etymology 1

From Middle English baffen (“to bark”). Cognate with Dutch baffen (“to bark”), Low German baffen (“to bark”), German baffen, bäfzen (“to bark”), Danish bjæffe (“to yelp”), Swedish bjäbba (“to yelp, bark”). Compare buff, yaff.

Verb

baff (third-person singular simple present baffs, present participle baffing, simple past and past participle baffed)

1. (intransitive, archaic) To bark; yelp.

Etymology 2

Probably from Scots baff, beff, bauf, probably from West Flemish baf, baffe (“a blow, slap in the face”). Compare also Old French baffe (“slap in the face”) (Modern French baffe), of imitative origin.

Verb

baff (third-person singular simple present baffs, present participle baffing, simple past and past participle baffed)

1. To hit or strike, especially with something flat or soft.
2. (golf) To strike the ground with the bottom of the club when taking a stroke.

Derived terms

• baffed out

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

baff (uncountable)

1. (Geordie) blank (Can we add an example for this sense?)

References

• Frank Graham (1987) The New Geordie Dictionary, →ISBN
• Northumberland Words, English Dialect Society, R. Oliver Heslop, 1893–4

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German

Etymology

Onomatopoeic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [baf]

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

baff (not comparable)

1. (colloquial, chiefly predicative) flabbergasted

Further reading

• “baff” in Duden online