baff
English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /bæf/
Audio (Berkshire, UK) (file) - 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)
- (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)
- To hit or strike, especially with something flat or soft.
- (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)
- (Tyneside) 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
German
Etymology
Onomatopoeic
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /baf/
Audio (file)
Adjective
baff (strong nominative masculine singular baffer, not comparable)
- (colloquial, chiefly predicative) flabbergasted
- 2020 June 1, “Verliebt, verlobt – verschieben?”, in Die Zeit:
- Sie haben gejubelt, hatten Ballons dabei und haben uns Glückwünsche zugerufen. Wir waren so baff. Manche kamen nur dafür von richtig weit her.
- (please add an English translation of this quote)
-
Declension
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist baff | sie ist baff | es ist baff | sie sind baff | |
strong declension (without article) | nominative | baffer | baffe | baffes | baffe |
genitive | baffen | baffer | baffen | baffer | |
dative | baffem | baffer | baffem | baffen | |
accusative | baffen | baffe | baffes | baffe | |
weak declension (with definite article) | nominative | der baffe | die baffe | das baffe | die baffen |
genitive | des baffen | der baffen | des baffen | der baffen | |
dative | dem baffen | der baffen | dem baffen | den baffen | |
accusative | den baffen | die baffe | das baffe | die baffen | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) | nominative | ein baffer | eine baffe | ein baffes | (keine) baffen |
genitive | eines baffen | einer baffen | eines baffen | (keiner) baffen | |
dative | einem baffen | einer baffen | einem baffen | (keinen) baffen | |
accusative | einen baffen | eine baffe | ein baffes | (keine) baffen |
Further reading
- “baff” in Duden online