faff
English
Etymology
From a dialect word meaning "blow in gusts".
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 360: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "British" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /faf/, /fæf/
Audio (AU): (file) - Rhymes: -æf
Noun
faff (plural faffs)
- (British, slang) An overcomplicated task, especially one perceived as a waste of time.
- Adjusting this television is a bit of a faff.
- 2011, Patrick Kingsley, "Life with the Queen Mum revealed", The Guardian
- Breakfast in bed at the royal household is a massive faff. A page boy must carry the tray upstairs, but he's banned from actually serving it. So he leaves it on the floor by the bedroom door, whereupon a housemaid picks it up and knocks on said portal.
- 2017: Glister by Andi Watson
- The fuss and faff meant Christmas had long since been drained of any joy and excitement.
- (typically in the phrase 'in a faff') a state of confused or frantic activity; a flap.
- She's in a total faff about tonight's dinner party.
Synonyms
- (overcomplicated task): See also Thesaurus:nuisance
- (frantic activity): flap
Verb
faff (third-person singular simple present faffs, present participle faffing, simple past and past participle faffed)
- (British, slang) To waste time on an unproductive activity.
- She faffed about so much, she never got to eat her breakfast.
- I decided to stop faffing about and get some work done.
Usage notes
Synonyms
- (waste time): arse around, dick around (American)
Cimbrian
Etymology 1
Noun
faff ?
- lily (flower)
Etymology 2
Noun
faff m
References
- Umberto Patuzzi, ed., (2013) Ünsarne Börtar, Luserna: Comitato unitario delle linguistiche storiche germaniche in Italia / Einheitskomitee der historischen deutschen Sprachinseln in Italien
Categories:
- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- Rhymes:English/æf
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- British English
- English slang
- English verbs
- Cimbrian lemmas
- Cimbrian nouns
- Cimbrian entries with topic categories using raw markup
- Cimbrian masculine nouns
- cim:Flowers
- cim:Lily family plants
- cim:Occupations
- cim:People
- cim:Religion