Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BUFF, v.t.

To strike. [See Buffet.]

BUFF'A-LO, n. [It. and Sp. bufalo; Fr. buffle; L. bubalus.]

The Bubalus, a species of the bovine genus, originally from India, but now found in most of the warmer countries of the Eastern Continent. It is larger and less docile than the common ox, and is fond of marshy places and rivers. The name is also applied to wild oxen in general, and particularly to the Bison of North America. [See Bison.] – Cyc. Cuvier.

BUF'FA-LO-ROBE, n.

The skin of the bison of North America, incorrectly called buffalo, prepared with the hair on.

BUFF'EL, n.

Buffel's head duck, Anas bucephala, a bird with a short blue bill, and a head whose apparent size is greatly increased by the fullness of its feathers, found in winter in the rivers of Carolina. – Catesby. Pennant.

BUFF'ET, n. [Fr. buffet; It. buffetto; Sp. bufete.]

A cupboard, or set of shelves for plates, glass, china, and other like furniture. It was formerly, and is still in some parts of the country, an apartment erected on one side of a room; but in more fashionable houses it has been laid aside, and a sideboard substituted, which is now considered as the buffet. But as far as my knowledge extends, the name has become, in a great measure, obsolete, except among the common people, by whom it is pronounced bofat.

BUFF'ET, n. [It. buffetto; Sp. and Port. bufar, to blow, to puff; Norm. buffe, a blow; W. pafiaw, to thump. See Buffoon and Puff.]

A blow with the fist; a box on the ear or face; a slap. – Milton.

BUFF'ET, v.i.

To exercise or play at boxing. – Shak.

BUFF'ET, v.t.

1. To strike with the hand or fist; to box; to beat. They spit in his face and buffeted him. – Matth. xxvi.
2. To beat in contention; to contend against; as, to buffet the billows. – Otway.

BUFF'ET-ED, pp.

Struck; beaten. – 1. Cor. iv. 11. 1 Pet. ii. 20.

BUFF'ET-ER, n.

One who buffets; a boxer. – Johnson.

BUFF'ET-ING, n.

1. A striking with the hand.
2. Contention; attack; opposition. He seems to have been a plant of slow growth, but formed for duration, and fitted to endure the buffetings of the rudest storm. – Wirt.

BUFF'ET-ING, ppr.

Striking with the hand; boxing; contending against.

BUFF'IN, n.

A sort of coarse stuff; as, buffin gowns. – Massinger.

BUFF'LE, n. [Fr.]

The buffalo.

BUFF'LE, v.i.

To puzzle; to be at a loss. – Swift. This is probably the same word as baffle.

BUFF'LE-HEAD, n. [buffle and head.]

One who has a large head.

BUFF'LE-HEAD-ED, a.

Having a large head, like a buffalo; dull; stupid; foolish.

BUFF'ON, n.

The Numidian crane, an African fowl. – Dict. of Nat. Hist.

BUF-FOON', n. [Fr. bouffon; It. buffo; Sp. bufon, a buffoon, comical; It. beffare and buffare, to trifle, joke, play the fool; Sp. befar, to mock or ridicule; bufar, to blow, or puff with anger, to snort; Port. id. These verbs indicate the origin of buffoonery. The root of buffet, puff, signifies to drive, to push, to strike. See Puff.]

1. A man who makes a practice of amusing others by low tricks, antic gestures and postures, jokes and other vulgar pleasantries. A droll; a mimick. – Johnson. Encyc.
2. He that uses indecent raillery. – Garth.

BUFFOON', v.t.

To make ridiculous. – Glanville.

BUF-FOON'ER-Y, n.

The arts and practices of a buffoon; low jests; ridiculous pranks; vulgar tricks and postures. – Johnson. Dryden has placed the accent improperly on the first syllable.

BUF-FOON'ING, n.

Buffoonery. – Dryden. Guthrie's Quint.

BUF-FOON'ISH, a.

Like a buffoon; consisting in low jests or gestures.

BUF-FOON'ISM, n.

The practices of a buffoon.

BUF-FOON'-LIKE, a.

Resembling a buffoon. – Sherwood.