Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Buff
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
Deformed, unfeatured, and a skin of
buff
. Dryden.
3.
A military coat, made of buff leather.
Shak.
4.
(Med.)
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.
Buff
,Adj.
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.
Buff
,Noun.
[See
Buffet
.] A buffet; a blow; – obsolete except in the phrase “Blindman’s buff.” See
blindman's buff
. Nathless so sore a
That made him reel.
buff
to him it lentThat made him reel.
Spenser.
Buff
,Adj.
[Of uncertain etymol.]
Firm; sturdy.
And for the good old cause stood
'Gainst many a bitter kick and cuff.
buff
,'Gainst many a bitter kick and cuff.
Hudibras.
Webster 1828 Edition
Buff
BUFF
,Noun.
1.
Buffskin; a sort of leather, prepared from the skin of the buffalo, dressed with oil, like shammy. It is used for making bandoliers, belts, pouches, gloves and other articles. The skins of oxen, elks and other animals, dressed in like manner, are also called buffs.2.
A military coat made of buff-skin or similar leather.3.
The color of buff; a light yellow.4.
A yellow viscid substance formed on the surface of blood drawn in inflammatory diseases.BUFF
,Verb.
T.