What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Buff vs Favor - What's the difference?

buff | favor |

In lang=en terms the difference between buff and favor

is that buff is attractive while favor is partiality; bias.

In obsolete terms the difference between buff and favor

is that buff is a buffet; a blow while favor is appearance; look; countenance; face.

As nouns the difference between buff and favor

is that buff is undyed leather from the skin of buffalo or similar animals while favor is a kind or helpful deed; an instance of voluntarily assisting (someone).

As verbs the difference between buff and favor

is that buff is to polish and make shiny by rubbing while favor is   To look upon fondly; to prefer.

As an adjective buff

is of the color of buff leather, a brownish yellow.

As an acronym BUFF

is big Ugly Fat Fellow (or Fucker); US Airforce nickname for the B-52 bomber.

buff

English

Etymology 1

From .

Noun

(en noun)
  • Undyed leather from the skin of buffalo or similar animals.
  • * Shakespeare
  • a suit of buff
  • A tool, often one covered with buff leather, used for polishing.
  • A brownish yellow colour.
  • * Dryden
  • a visage rough, deformed, unfeatured, and a skin of buff
  • A military coat made of buff leather.
  • (Shakespeare)
  • (informal) A person who is very interested in a particular subject; an enthusiast.
  • He’s a history buff .
  • (gaming) An effect that temporally makes a gaming character stronger.
  • (rail transport) Compressive coupler force that occurs during a slack bunched condition.
  • The bare skin.
  • to strip to the buff
  • * Wright
  • To be in buff is equivalent to being naked.
  • The greyish viscid substance constituting the buffy coat.
  • A substance used to dilute (street) drugs in order to increase profits.
  • * Police said the 20 ton hydraulic jack was used to press mixtures of cocaine and "buff" into bricks. (CBC)
  • Derived terms
    * in the buff
    Antonyms
    * (video games) debuff * (video games) nerf

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Of the color of buff leather, a brownish yellow.
  • (bodybuilding): Unusually muscular. (also buffed'' or ''buffed out )
  • The bouncer was a big, buff dude with tattoos, a shaved head, and a serious scowl.
  • * 1994 , Blurred Boundaries: Questions of Meaning in Contemporary Culture , page 155:
  • The appearance of logic often derives from faulty syllogisms such as Sgt. Koon's conclusion that King was an ex-con because he was "buffed out " (heavily muscled). The thinking is: "ex-cons are often buffed out; this man is buffed out; therefore, this man is an ex-con."
  • (slang) attractive.
  • Derived terms
    * buff-tip moth * buffly

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To polish and make shiny by rubbing.
  • (gaming) To make a character stronger.
  • The enchanter buffed the paladin to prepare him to fight the dragon.
    Derived terms
    * buff out * buff up * buff wheel

    Synonyms

    * (to make smooth and shiny by rubbing) wax, shine, polish, furbish, burnish
    Antonyms
    * (video games) debuff * (video games) nerf

    See also

    *

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To strike.
  • (Ben Jonson)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A buffet; a blow.
  • * Spenser
  • Nathless so sore a buff to him it lent / That made him reel.
    Derived terms
    * blind man's buff

    favor

    English

    Alternative forms

    * favour (qualifier)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A kind or helpful deed; an instance of voluntarily assisting (someone).
  • Goodwill; benevolent regard.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady.
  • A small gift; a party favor.
  • A marriage favour is a bunch or knot of white ribbons or white flowers worn at a wedding.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Wear thou this favour for me, and stick it in thy cap.
  • Mildness or mitigation of punishment; lenity.
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • I could not discover the lenity and favour of this sentence.
  • The object of regard; person or thing favoured.
  • * Milton
  • All these his wondrous works, but chiefly man, / His chief delight and favour .
  • (obsolete) Appearance; look; countenance; face.
  • * Shakespeare
  • This boy is fair, of female favour .
  • (legal) Partiality; bias.
  • (Bouvier)
  • (archaic, polite) A letter.
  • Your favour of yesterday is received.
  • (obsolete, in the plural) lovelocks
  • (Wright)

    Usage notes

    * Favor' is the standard US spelling, and an alternative in Canada. ' Favour is the standard spelling in Canada and outside North America. * English speakers usually "do' someone a favor" (rather than *"'''make''' them a favor", which would be sense 3 only). See for uses and meaning of ' favour collocated with these words.

    Derived terms

    * in favor * in favor of * party favor * favorite

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (transitive)  To look upon fondly; to prefer.
  • * And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored', the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. —, King James version, ' 1611
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=6 citation , passage=Even in an era when individuality in dress is a cult, his clothes were noticeable. He was wearing a hard hat of the low round kind favoured by hunting men, and with it a black duffle-coat lined with white.}}
  • (transitive)  To do a favor [noun sense 1] for; to show beneficence toward.
  • (transitive)  To treat with care.
  • (transitive)  To have a similar appearance, to look like another person.
  • Derived terms

    * favorite (favourite) * favoritism (favouritism) * favorable (favourable) * favored (favoured) ----