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.

Bum vs Buff - What's the difference?

bum | buff |

As a noun bum

is the buttocks or bum can be (north america|colloquial) a hobo; a homeless person, usually a man or bum can be (dated) a humming noise or bum can be (obsolete) a bumbailiff.

As a verb bum

is (uk|transitive|colloquial) to sodomize; to engage in anal sex or bum can be (colloquial) to ask someone to give one (something) for free; to beg for something or bum can be to depress; to make unhappy or bum can be to make a murmuring or humming sound.

As an interjection bum

is (label) an expression of annoyance.

As an adjective bum

is of poor quality or highly undesirable .

As an acronym buff is

(slang|us|air force) big ugly fat fellow (or fucker); us airforce nickname for the b-52 bomber.

bum

English

Etymology 1

1387,

Noun

(en noun)
  • The buttocks.
    • Okay, everyone sit on your bum and try and touch your toes.
  • (UK, Irish, AU, New Zealand, informal, rare, Canada, US) The anus.
  • (by metonymy, informal) A person.
    • Quotations
    * (English Citations of "bum")
    Usage notes
    * In the United States and Canada, bum'' is considered the most appropriate term when speaking to young children, as in ''Everyone please sit on your bum and we'll read a story.'' For older children and teenagers, especially males, as well as adults, the term (butt) is the most common term except in professional contexts such as medical, legal, and scientific where (buttocks) is generally used or (gluteus maximus), (gluteus medius), etc. for the muscles specifically. ''Glutes]]'' is often used in sports medicine and bodybuilding. ''Ass'' (US derivation of Old English ''[[arse, arse ) is considered somewhat vulgar in North America, whereas (backside), (behind), and (bottom) are considered to be old-fashioned and non-specific terms.
    Synonyms
    * (buttocks or anus) arse , ass (North America), backside, behind, bottom, bum (North America), butt (North America), heinie (North America), fanny (North America), tush (North America), tushie (North America) ** (buttocks specifically) butt cheeks (North America), buttocks (technical), cheeks, glutes (muscles), gluteus maximus (primary muscles) ** (anus specifically) anus (technical), arsehole , asshole (North America) * See also

    Verb

    (bumm)
  • (UK, transitive, colloquial) To sodomize; to engage in anal sex.

    • Interjection

    (en-interjection)
  • (label) An expression of annoyance.
  • * 2010 , Jill Mansell, Sheer Mischief:
    • Maxine tried hers. 'Oh bum ,' she said crossly. 'The sugar isn't sugar. It's salt.'

    Derived terms

    * bum bum * bumhole * bums in seats *

    Etymology 2

    1864,

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (North America, colloquial) A hobo; a homeless person, usually a man.
  • (North America, Australia, colloquial) A lazy, incompetent, or annoying person, usually a man.
    • ''Fred is becoming a bum - he's not even bothering to work more than once a month.
    That mechanic's a bum - he couldn't fix a yo-yo.
    That guy keeps interrupting the concert. Throw the bum out!
  • * 1987 , (The Pogues) - (Fairytale of New York)
    • You're a bum
    You're a punk
    You're an old slut on junk
    Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
  • (North America, Australia, colloquial, sports) A player or racer who often performs poorly.
    • Trade him to another team, he's a bum !
  • * 2001 , (Laura Hillenbrand) -
    • Seabiscuit, wrote another reporter, “was a hero in California and a pretty fair sort of horse in the midwest. In the east, however, he was just a ‘bum ’”
  • (colloquial) A drinking spree.
    • Synonyms
    * (hobo) hobo, homeless person, tramp, vagrant, wanderer, vagabond * (lazy person) loafer, bumpkin, footler, idler, lout, yob, yobbo, layabout * (drinking spree) binge, bender * See also * See also

    Verb

    (bumm)
  • (colloquial) To ask someone to give one (something) for free; to beg for something.
    • Can I bum a cigarette off you?
  • (colloquial) To behave like a hobo or vagabond; to loiter.
    • I think I'll just bum around downtown for awhile until dinner.
  • (transitive, slang, British) To wet the end of a marijuana cigarette (spliff).
    • Synonyms
    * cadge (British)

    Adjective

    (bummer)
  • Of poor quality or highly undesirable.
    • bum note
  • Unfair.
    • bum deal
  • Injured and without the possibility of full repair, defective.
    • I can't play football anymore on account of my bum knee.
  • Unpleasant.
    • He had a bum trip on that mescaline.
    Quotations
    * (English Citations of "bum")
    Synonyms
    * (defective) duff (UK)

    Derived terms

    * bum around * bum bailiff * bum rap * bum's rush * on the bum

    Etymology 3

    Verb

    (bumm)
  • To depress; to make unhappy.

    • References

    *

    Etymology 4

    See boom.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (dated) A humming noise.
    • (Halliwell)

    Verb

    (bumm)
  • To make a murmuring or humming sound.
    • (Jamieson)

    Etymology 5

    Abbreviations.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A bumbailiff.
  • * 1705 , (Bernard Mandeville), The Fable of the Bees :
    • About her Chariot, and behind, / Were Sergeants, Bums of every kind, / Tip-staffs, and all those Officers, / That squeeze a Living out of Tears.

    Anagrams

    * English words with different meanings in different locations ----

    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