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Kerf vs Nerf - What's the difference?

kerf | nerf |

As verbs the difference between kerf and nerf

is that kerf is to cut a piece of wood or other material with several kerfs to allow it to be bent while nerf is to bump lightly, whether accidentally or purposefully.

As a noun kerf

is the groove or slit created by cutting a workpiece; an incision.

kerf

English

Noun

(kerfs)
  • The groove or slit created by cutting a workpiece; an incision.
  • *
  • The width of the groove made while cutting.
  • *1991 , , January issue, page 63, "Thin-kerf blades", by Rosario Capotostro
  • *:Sawing with a thin-kerf blade produces a kerf' that's 1/2 to 1/3 the size of a standard blade ' kerf .
  • Distance between diverging saw teeth

    • Related terms

    * carve * swarf

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To cut a piece of wood or other material with several kerfs to allow it to be bent.

    • References

    * (Supplement) ----

    nerf

    English

    (NERF)

    Etymology 1

    From automobile racing; to bump another car (ca. 1950s?).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (auto racing) To bump lightly, whether accidentally or purposefully.
    • A racer will often nerf another as a psychological tactic.

    Derived terms

    * nerf bar * nerf net

    Etymology 2

    From the trademark NERF (an abbreviation of "non-expanding recreational foam"), a range of toys made of soft foam, ineffective as actual weapons (1969).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (slang) to water down, dumb down or especially weaken, particularly in video games.
    • The lightning spell was pretty powerful before they nerfed it.

    Anagrams

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