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Cuff vs Huff - What's the difference?

cuff | huff |

As a noun cuff

is (obsolete) glove; mitten or cuff can be a blow, especially with the open hand; a box; a slap.

As a verb cuff

is to furnish with cuffs or cuff can be to hit, as a reproach, particularly with the open palm to the head; to slap.

As a proper noun huff is

.

cuff

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) cuffe, .

Noun

(en noun)
  • (obsolete) glove; mitten.
  • The end of a shirt sleeve that covers the wrist.
  • The end of a pants leg, folded up.
    • Related terms
    * cufflinks * turnup * off-the-cuff

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To furnish with cuffs.
  • To handcuff.

    • Etymology 2

    1520, “to hit”, apparently of (etyl) origin, from (etyl) . More at (l), (l), (l).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To hit, as a reproach, particularly with the open palm to the head; to slap.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I swear I'll cuff you, if you strike again.
  • * Dryden
    • They with their quills did all the hurt they could, / And cuffed the tender chickens from their food.
  • To fight; to scuffle; to box.
  • * Dryden
    • While the peers cuff to make the rabble sport.
  • To buffet.
  • * Tennyson
    • cuffed by the gale

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A blow, especially with the open hand; a box; a slap.
  • * Spenser
    • Snatcheth his sword, and fiercely to him flies; / Who well it wards, and quitten cuff with cuff.
  • * Hudibras
    • Many a bitter kick and cuff .

    huff

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A heavy breath; a grunt or sigh.
    • With a huff , he lifted the box onto the back of the truck.
  • An expression of anger, annoyance, disgust, etc.
    • Freyja left in a huff .
  • (obsolete) A boaster; one swelled with a false sense of value or importance.
    • Lewd, shallow-brained huffs make atheism and contempt of religion the sole badge of wit. — South.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To breathe heavily.
    • The run left him huffing and puffing.
  • To inhale psychoactive inhalants.
  • To say in a huffy manner.
  • (draughts) To remove an opponent's piece as a forfeit for deliberately not taking a piece (often signalled by blowing on it).
  • To enlarge; to swell up.
    • Bread huffs .
  • To bluster or swell with anger, pride, or arrogance; to storm; to take offense.
  • * South
    • This senseless arrogant conceit of theirs made them huff at the doctrine of repentance.
  • To treat with insolence and arrogance; to chide or rebuke rudely; to hector; to bully.
  • * Echard
    • You must not presume to huff us.
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