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Faff vs Baff - What's the difference?

faff | baff |

As nouns the difference between faff and baff

is that faff is (british|slang) an unnecessary or over-complicated task, especially one perceived as a waste of time while baff is (geordie) blank.

As verbs the difference between faff and baff

is that faff is (british|slang) to waste time on an unproductive activity while baff is (archaic) to bark; yelp or baff can be to hit or strike, especially with something flat or soft.

faff

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (British, slang) An unnecessary or over-complicated task, especially one perceived as a waste of time.
  • Adjusting this television is a bit of a faff .
  • * 2011 , Patrick Kingsley, " Life with the Queen Mum revealed", The Guardian
  • Breakfast in bed at the royal household is a massive faff . A page boy must carry the tray upstairs, but he's banned from actually serving it. So he leaves it on the floor by the bedroom door, whereupon a housemaid picks it up and knocks on said portal.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (British, slang) To waste time on an unproductive activity.
  • :She faffed about so much, she never got to eat her breakfast.
  • I decided to stop faffing about and get some work done.

    Usage notes

    * Particularly used with .

    Synonyms

    * (l) (American)

    baff

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (archaic) To bark; yelp.
  • Etymology 2

    Probably from (etyl) (French baffe), of imitative origin.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To hit or strike, especially with something flat or soft.
  • (golf) To strike the ground with the bottom of the club when taking a stroke.
  • Derived terms
    * baffed out

    Etymology 3

    Noun

    (-)
  • (Geordie) blank
  • References

    * *