Hypertext Webster Gateway: "buff"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Buff \Buff\, a.
1. Made of buff leather. --Goldsmith.
2. 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.] --Nares.
{Buff stick} (Mech.), a strip of wood covered with buff
leather, used in polishing.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Buff \Buff\, v. t.
To polish with a buff. See {Buff}, n., 5.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Buff \Buff\, v. t. [OF. bufer to cuff, buffet. See {Buffet} a
blow.]
To strike. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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. --Spenser.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Buff \Buff\ (b[u^]f), n. [OE. buff, buffe, buff, buffalo, F.
buffle buffalo. See {Buffalo}.]
1. 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.'' --Shak.
2. The color of buff; a light yellow, shading toward pink,
gray, or brown.
A visage rough, Deformed, unfeatured, and a skin of
buff. --Dryden.
3. A military coat, made of buff leather. --Shak.
4. (Med.) The grayish viscid substance constituting the buffy
coat. See {Buffy coat}, under {Buffy}, a.
5. (Mech.) A wheel covered with buff leather, and used in
polishing cutlery, spoons, etc.
6. The bare skin; as, to strip to the buff. [Colloq.]
To be in buff is equivalent to being naked.
--Wright.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Buff \Buff\, a. [Of uncertain etymol.]
Firm; sturdy.
And for the good old cause stood buff, 'Gainst many a
bitter kick and cuff. --Hudibras.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
buff
adj : of the color of buff leather
n 1: an ardent follower [syn: {fan}, {devotee}, {lover}, {afficionado}]
2: a soft thick undyed leather from the skins of e.g. buffalo
or oxen
3: bare skin; "swimming in the buff"
4: a medium to dark tan color [syn: {yellowish brown}, {raw
sienna}, {caramel}, {caramel brown}]
5: 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}]
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