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Skulk vs Bluff - What's the difference?

skulk | bluff |

As a noun skulk

is a group of foxes.

As a verb skulk

is to conceal oneself; to hide.

As a proper noun bluff is

the southernmost town in the south island of new zealand, and seaport for the southland region.

skulk

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A group of foxes.
  • (Wright)
  • One who skulks; a skulker.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • to conceal oneself; to hide
  • * Dryden
  • Discovered and defeated of your prey, / You skulked behind the fence, and sneaked away.
  • * 1852 , Charles Dickens, Bleak House ,
  • Behind dingy blind and curtain, in upper story and garret, skulking more or less under false names, false hair, false titles, false jewellery, and false histories, a colony of brigands lie in their first sleep.
  • to sneak around, sneak about
  • * 1904 , Paul Laurence Dunbar,
  • Fully a dozen of the citizens had seen him hastening toward the woods and noted his skulking air [...]
  • to shirk; to avoid obligation
  • bluff

    English

    (wikipedia bluff)

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act of bluffing; a false expression of the strength of one's position in order to intimidate; braggadocio.
  • That is only bluff''', or a '''bluff .
  • (poker) An attempt to represent oneself as holding a stronger hand than they actually do.
  • John's bet was a bluff : he bet without even so much as a pair.
  • (US, dated) The card game poker.
  • (Bartlett)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • ((poker) To make a bluff ; to give the impression that one's hand is stronger than it is.
  • John bluffed by betting without even a pair.
  • (by analogy ) To frighten or deter with a false show of strength or confidence; to give a false impression of strength or temerity in order to intimidate and gain some advantage.
  • The government claims it will call an election if this bill does not pass. Is it truly ready to do so, or is it bluffing ?

    Derived terms

    * bluffer * double bluff * triple bluff * quadruple bluff * semi-bluff

    Etymology 2

    Related to blaff, "smooth".

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A high, steep bank, as by a river or the sea, or beside a ravine or plain; a cliff with a broad face.
  • (senseid) (Canadian Prairies) A small wood or stand of trees, typically poplar or willow.
  • Adjective

    (er)
  • Having a broad, flattened front.
  • the bluff bows of a ship
  • Rising steeply with a flat or rounded front.
  • * Falconer
  • a bluff or bold shore
  • * Judd
  • Its banks, if not really steep, had a bluff and precipitous aspect.
  • Surly; churlish; gruff; rough.
  • * 1883:
  • he had a bluff , rough-and-ready face, all roughened and reddened and lined in his long travels.
  • Abrupt; roughly frank; unceremonious; blunt; brusque.
  • a bluff''' answer; a '''bluff''' manner of talking; a '''bluff sea captain
  • * I. Taylor
  • There is indeed a bluff pertinacity which is a proper defence in a moment of surprise.

    References

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