scoff

English

WOTD – 14 March 2008

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /skɒf/
• IPA^(key): /skɔːf/
• IPA^(key): /skɑːf/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (AU):

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• Rhymes: -ɒf

Etymology 1

From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English scof/skof, of Scandinavian origin. Compare (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old Norse skaup, Danish skuffelse(noun)/skuffe(verb) and Old High German scoph.

Noun

scoff (plural scoffs)

1. Derision; ridicule; a derisive or mocking expression of scorn, contempt, or reproach.
   • Shakespeare

     With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts.

   • 1863, Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Churchyard:

     'I believe you've killed that constable in the exercise of his duty, Sir; the man's dead,' said Lowe, sternly.
     'Another gloss on my text; why invade me like housebreakers?' said Dangerfield with a grim scoff.

   • 1852, The Dublin University Magazine (page 66)

     There were sneers, and scoffs, and inuendoes of some; prophecies of failure in a hundred ways […]

2. An object of scorn, mockery, or derision.
   • Cowper

     The scoff of withered age and beardless youth.

Synonyms

• (derision, ridicule): derision, ridicule
• See also Thesaurus:ridicule

Translations

derision; ridicule; mockery

• Armenian: ծաղր (hy) (caġr)
• Finnish: pilkka (fi), iva (fi)
• French: dérision (fr) f, ridicule (fr) m, moquerie (fr) f
• German: Spott (de) m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Indonesian: sindiran (id)
• Italian: scherno, derisione (it) f, verso (it) m, scorno (it) m, ridicolo (it) m
• Occitan: trufariá f, derision f, escòrna f, escarniment m
• Russian: насме́шка (ru) f (nasméška)

object of scorn, mockery, or derision

• Spanish: hazmerreír m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Verb

scoff (third-person singular simple present scoffs, present participle scoffing, simple past and past participle scoffed)

1. (intransitive) To jeer; laugh at with contempt and derision.
   • Goldsmith

     Truth from his lips prevailed with double sway, / And fools who came to scoff, remained to pray.

2. (transitive) To mock; to treat with scorn.

Synonyms

• (to jeer, laugh at): sneer
• (to mock, scorn): contemn, deride

Translations

to jeer; laugh at with contempt and derision

• Dutch: spotten (nl)
• Finnish: ivata (fi), ilkkua (fi), pilkata (fi)
• French: se gausser (fr), se moquer (fr), tourner en ridicule (fr)
• German: spotten (de), spötteln (de)
• Icelandic: hæða, draga dár, gera gys
• Indonesian: menyindir (id)
• Italian: deridere (it), schernire (it), fare il verso, motteggiare (it)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: cavillor
• Maori: taunu, tāwai, aniani
• Occitan: se trufar, se garçar
• Russian: насмехаться (ru) (nasmexatʹsja), осмеивать (ru) (osmeivatʹ)
• Spanish: burlarse (es)
• Welsh: gwawdio (cy), gwatwar (cy)

Etymology 2

A variant, attested since the mid 19th century, of scaff, of uncertain origin. Compare scarf (“eat quickly”).

Noun

scoff (countable and uncountable, plural scoffs)

1. (South Africa and British Army slang) Food.

Translations

food

• Italian: mangiare (it), cibaria f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Verb

scoff (third-person singular simple present scoffs, present participle scoffing, simple past and past participle scoffed)

1. (British, slang) To eat food quickly.
2. (South Africa and British Army slang) To eat.

Synonyms

• (eat quickly): gobble, scarf (US)

Translations

to eat food quickly

• Dutch: schrokken (nl)
• Finnish: ahmia (fi)
• French: engloutir (fr)
• German: verschlingen (de)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: trangugiare (it)
• Maori: kai hāporo, kaihorohoro, hāupaupa, ngūngū, kaihoro, horohororē, hāupaupa
• Russian: уплетать (ru) (upletatʹ), лопать (ru) (lopatʹ)

to eat

• Dutch: eten (nl)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: mangiare (it), cibarsi, nutrirsi (it)

See also

• scuff