Adjacent Words

Cuff definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

CUFF, n. [L.,Gr.]
1. A blow with the fist; a stroke; a box.
2. It is used of fowls that fight with their talons.
To be at fisty-cuffs, to fight with blows of the fist.
CUFF, v.t. To strike with the fist, as a man; or with talons or wings, as a fowl.
CUFF, v.i. To fight; to scuffle.
CUFF, n. [This word probably signifies a fold or doubling.] The fold at the end of a sleeve; the part of a sleeve turned back from the hand.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the lap consisting of a turned-back hem encircling the end of the sleeve or leg [syn: cuff, turnup]
2: shackle that consists of a metal loop that can be locked around the wrist; usually used in pairs [syn: handcuff, cuff, handlock, manacle] v
1: hit with the hand [syn: cuff, whomp]
2: confine or restrain with or as if with manacles or handcuffs; "The police handcuffed the suspect at the scene of the crime" [syn: manacle, cuff, handcuff]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English coffe, cuffe mitten Date: 1522 1. something (as a part of a sleeve or glove) encircling the wrist 2. the turned-back hem of a trouser leg 3. a. handcuff — usually used in plural b. a usually wide metal band worn as a bracelet 4. an inflatable band that is wrapped around an extremity to control the flow of blood through the part when recording blood pressure with a sphygmomanometer • cuffless adjective II. transitive verb Date: 1693 1. to furnish with a cuff 2. handcuff III. verb Etymology: perhaps from obsolete English, glove, from Middle English Date: 1530 transitive verb to strike especially with or as if with the palm of the hand ; buffet intransitive verb fight, scuffle IV. noun Date: 1570 a blow with the hand especially when open ; slap

Oxford Reference Dictionary

1. n. 1 a the end part of a sleeve. b a separate band of linen worn round the wrist so as to appear under the sleeve. c the part of a glove covering the wrist. 2 US a trouser turn-up. 3 (in pl.) colloq. handcuffs. Phrases and idioms: cuff-link a device of two joined studs etc. to fasten the sides of a cuff together. off the cuff colloq. without preparation, extempore. Derivatives: cuffed adj. (also in comb.). Etymology: ME: orig. unkn. 2. v. & n. --v.tr. strike with an open hand. --n. such a blow. Etymology: 16th c.: perh. imit.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Cuff Cuff (k?f), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Cuffed (k?ft); p. pr. & vb. n. Cuffing.] [Cf. Sw. kuffa to knock, push,kufva to check, subdue, and E. cow, v. t. ] 1. To strike; esp., to smite with the palm or flat of the hand; to slap. I swear I'll cuff you, if you strike again. --Shak. They with their quills did all the hurt they could, And cuffed the tender chickens from their food. --Dryden. 2. To buffet. ``Cuffed by the gale.'' --Tennyson.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Cuff Cuff, v. i. To fight; to scuffle; to box. While the peers cuff to make the rabble sport. --Dryden.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Cuff Cuff, n. A blow; esp.,, a blow with the open hand; a box; a slap. Snatcheth his sword, and fiercely to him flies; Who well it wards, and quitten cuff with cuff. --Spenser. Many a bitter kick and cuff. --Hudibras.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Cuff Cuff, n. [Perh. from F. coiffe headdress, hood, or coif; as if the cuff were a cap for the hand. Cf. Coif.] 1. The fold at the end of a sleeve; the part of a sleeve turned back from the hand. He would visit his mistress in a morning gown, band, short cuffs, and a peaked beard. --Arbuthnot. 2. Any ornamental appendage at the wrist, whether attached to the sleeve of the garment or separate; especially, in modern times, such an appendage of starched linen, or a substitute for it of paper, or the like.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(cuffs, cuffing, cuffed) 1. The cuffs of a shirt or dress are the parts at the ends of the sleeves, which are thicker than the rest of the sleeve. ...a pale blue shirt with white collar and cuffs. N-COUNT: usu pl 2. The cuffs on a pair of pants or trousers are the parts at the ends of the legs, which are folded up. (AM; in BRIT, use turn-up) ...the cuffs of his jeans. N-COUNT: usu pl 3. If the police cuff someone, they put handcuffs on them. (INFORMAL) She hoped they wouldn't cuff her hands behind her back. VERB: V n 4. An off-the-cuff remark is made without being prepared or thought about in advance. I didn't mean any offence. It was a flippant, off-the-cuff remark... PHRASE: PHR n, PHR after v

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. n. Blow, stroke, box, slap. II. v. a. Beat, strike, buffet, box, slap.

1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue

An old cuff; an old man. To cuff Jonas; said of one who is knock-kneed, or who beats his sides to keep himself warm in frosty weather; called also Beating the booby.

Moby Thesaurus

Oregon boat, bat, bilbo, blip, blow, bond, bonds, box, box the ears, bridle, buffet, bust, camisole, chains, chop, clip, clout, collar, cuffs, cut, fetter, flap, gag, gyves, halter, hamper, handcuffs, haymaker, hit, hobbles, hopples, irons, lash, leading strings, leash, manacle, muzzle, paste, pillory, poke, punch, reins, restraint, restraints, shackle, slap, slap the face, smack, sock, spank, spat, stocks, straightjacket, strait-waistcoat, straitjacket, stranglehold, strike, stripe, swack, tether, token punishment, trammel, trammels, wallop, whack, whip, whomp, yoke