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Bluff vs Blunt - What's the difference?

bluff | blunt |

As nouns the difference between bluff and blunt

is that bluff is an act of bluffing; a false expression of the strength of one's position in order to intimidate; braggadocio while blunt is a fencer's practice foil with a soft tip.

As verbs the difference between bluff and blunt

is that bluff is ( To make a bluff; to give the impression that one's hand is stronger than it is while blunt is to dull the edge or point of, by making it thicker; to make blunt.

As adjectives the difference between bluff and blunt

is that bluff is having a broad, flattened front while blunt is having a thick edge or point, as an instrument; not sharp.

As a proper noun Bluff

is the southernmost town in the South Island of New Zealand, and seaport for the Southland region.

bluff

English

(wikipedia bluff)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • An act of bluffing; a false expression of the strength of one's position in order to intimidate; braggadocio.
    • That is only bluff''', or a '''bluff .
  • (poker) An attempt to represent oneself as holding a stronger hand than they actually do.
    • John's bet was a bluff : he bet without even so much as a pair.
  • (US, dated) The card game poker.
    • (Bartlett)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • ((poker) To make a bluff ; to give the impression that one's hand is stronger than it is.
    • John bluffed by betting without even a pair.
  • (by analogy ) To frighten or deter with a false show of strength or confidence; to give a false impression of strength or temerity in order to intimidate and gain some advantage.
    • The government claims it will call an election if this bill does not pass. Is it truly ready to do so, or is it bluffing ?

    Derived terms

    * bluffer * double bluff * triple bluff * quadruple bluff * semi-bluff

    Etymology 2

    Related to blaff, "smooth".

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A high, steep bank, as by a river or the sea, or beside a ravine or plain; a cliff with a broad face.
  • (senseid) (Canadian Prairies) A small wood or stand of trees, typically poplar or willow.

    • Adjective

    (er)
  • Having a broad, flattened front.
    • the bluff bows of a ship
  • Rising steeply with a flat or rounded front.
  • * Falconer
    • a bluff or bold shore
  • * Judd
    • Its banks, if not really steep, had a bluff and precipitous aspect.
  • Surly; churlish; gruff; rough.
  • * 1883:
    • he had a bluff , rough-and-ready face, all roughened and reddened and lined in his long travels.
  • Abrupt; roughly frank; unceremonious; blunt; brusque.
    • a bluff''' answer; a '''bluff''' manner of talking; a '''bluff sea captain
  • * I. Taylor
    • There is indeed a bluff pertinacity which is a proper defence in a moment of surprise.

    References

    *

    External links

    * ----

    blunt

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Having a thick edge or point, as an instrument; not sharp.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
    • The murderous knife was dull and blunt .
  • *{{quote-book, year=1944, author=(w)
    • , title= The Three Corpse Trick, section=chapter 5 , passage=The dinghy was trailing astern at the end of its painter, and Merrion looked at it as he passed. He saw that it was a battered-looking affair of the prahm type, with a blunt snout, and like the parent ship, had recently been painted a vivid green.}}
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
    • , chapter=17 citation , passage=The face which emerged was not reassuring. It was blunt and grey, the nose springing thick and flat from high on the frontal bone of the forehead, whilst his eyes were narrow slits of dark in a tight bandage of tissue. […].}}
  • Dull in understanding; slow of discernment; opposed to acute.
  • * (William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
    • His wits are not so blunt .
  • Abrupt in address; plain; unceremonious; wanting the forms of civility; rough in manners or speech.
    • the blunt admission that he had never liked my company
  • * (William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
    • a plain, blunt man
  • Hard to impress or penetrate.
  • * (Alexander Pope) (1688-1744)
    • I find my heart hardened and blunt to new impressions.
  • Slow or deficient in feeling: insensitive.

    • Synonyms

    * (having a thick edge or point) dull, pointless, coarse * (dull in understanding) stupid, obtuse * (abrupt in address) curt, short, rude, brusque, impolite, uncivil, harsh

    Derived terms

    * blunt instrument * bluntly * bluntness

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A fencer's practice foil with a soft tip.
  • A short needle with a strong point.
  • (smoking) A marijuana cigar.
  • * 2005': to make his point, lead rapper B-Real fired up a '''blunt in front of the cameras and several hundred thousand people and announced, “I'm taking a hit for every one of y'all!” — Martin Torgoff, ''Can't Find My Way Home (Simon & Schuster 2005, p. 461)
  • (UK, slang, archaic, uncountable) money
  • * Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers
    • Down he goes to the Commons, to see the lawyer and draw the blunt
  • A playboating move resembling a cartwheel performed on a wave.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To dull the edge or point of, by making it thicker; to make blunt.
  • (figuratively) To repress or weaken, as any appetite, desire, or power of the mind; to impair the force, keenness, or susceptibility, of; as, to blunt the feelings.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011
    • , date=January 12 , author=Saj Chowdhury , title=Liverpool 2 - 1 Liverpool , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=That settled the Merseysiders for a short while but it did not blunt the home side's spirit. }}

    See also

    * bluntly * dull ----