English Vocabulary (A - D)

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buff

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

buff¹ / bəf/ • n. 1. a yellowish-beige color: 2. a dull yellow leather with a velvety surface. ∎ a stick, wheel, or pad used for polishing or smoothing. • v. [tr.] polish (something): he buffed the glass until it gleamed. ∎ give (leather) a velvety finish by removing the surface of the grain. • adj. 1. yellowish beige. 2. Informal being in good physical shape with fine muscle tone. PHRASES: in the buff inf. naked. buff² • n. inf. a person who is enthusiastically interested in and very knowledgeable about a particular subject: a computer buff.

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buff

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

buff2
A. †buffalo, wild OX XVI;

B. (earlier buff leather) leather of buffalo hide, hence of ox hide; military attire (orig. of this leather) XVI; the bare skin XVII;

C. light brownish-yellow (hence as adj.) XVIII. prob. — F. buffle BUFFALO.

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T. F. HOAD. "buff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "buff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-buff1.html

T. F. HOAD. "buff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-buff1.html

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buff

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology | 1996 | | Copyright

buff1 blow, buffet (surviving only in BLINDMAN'S-BUFF). XV. — OF. buffe BUFFET1.

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T. F. HOAD. "buff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "buff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-buff.html

T. F. HOAD. "buff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-buff.html

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buff

Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes | 2007 | Copyright

buff •bluff, buff, chough, chuff, cuff, duff, enough, fluff, gruff, guff, huff, luff, muff, puff, rough, ruff, scruff, scuff, slough, snuff, stuff, Tough, tuff •handcuff • earmuff • powder puff •dandruff • woodruff • feedstuff •greenstuff • foodstuff

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Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Burning desire to help; 'Fire buffs' not on payroll, but are more than... Newspaper article from: The Washington Times (Washington, DC); 6/10/2003
	Buff hopes for return trip Downstate.(Sports) Newspaper article from: Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL); 8/25/1996
	Buff and draft forces in the presence of large coupler angling. (Association... Magazine article from: Railway Age; 3/1/1990