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Tuff vs Cuff - What's the difference?

tuff | cuff |

As nouns the difference between tuff and cuff

is that tuff is (rock) a light porous rock, now especially a rock composed of compacted volcanic ash varying in size from fine sand to coarse gravel while cuff is (obsolete) glove; mitten or cuff can be a blow, especially with the open hand; a box; a slap.

As an adjective tuff

is older and simplified spelling of tough.

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.

tuff

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl)

Adjective

(er)
  • older and simplified spelling of tough
  • :* {{quote-book
    • , year=1980 , year_published= , edition= , editor= , author=Joy Wilt Berry, Ernie Hergenroeder , title=Tuff Stuff: A Children's Book about Trauma , chapter= citation , genre= , publisher=Educational Products Division, Word, Inc. , isbn=9780849981364 , page= , passage=Tuff Stuff teaches that while life may go smoothly most of the time, ... }}
  • :* {{quote-book
    • , year=2000 , year_published= , edition= , editor=Sylvia Bowerbank, Sara Mendelson , author=Margaret Cavendish , title=Paper Bodies , chapter=Preface to the Reader (1655) citation , genre= , publisher= , isbn=9781551111735 , page=139 , passage=… yet never to make us so strong as the strongest of Men, whose Sinnews are tuffer , and Bones stronger, and Joints closer, and Flesh firmer, than ours are … }}
  • :* {{quote-book
    • , year=2003 , year_published= , edition= , editor= , author=Ronald Carter , title=The Routledge Guide to Modern English Writing , chapter= citation , genre=Language Arts , publisher=Routledge , isbn=9780415286367 , page=96 , passage=It was rave reviewed in the Caribbean Times as 'the ruffest, tuffest and the boo-yacka of all modern gangster novels'. }}
  • :* {{quote-book
    • , year=2006 , year_published= , edition= , editor= , author=Paige Hemmis , title=The Tuff Chix Guide to Easy Home Improvement , chapter= citation , genre= , publisher=Penguin , isbn=9780452287617 , page=36 , passage=TUFF METER }}
  • :* {{quote-web
    • , date=2010-01-20 , year= , first= , last= , author=Robert J. Elisberg , authorlink= , title=CES 2020 -- Ohm on the Range , site=Huffington Post citation , archiveorg= , accessdate=2012-09-14 , passage=Its Tuff'-n-Tiny USB flash drive is about the size of a thumbnail. … The company insists that the "' tuff " part of the name is well-earned for being waterproof, dustproof and you can drive a car over it. }}
  • :* {{quote-book
    • , year=2011 , year_published= , edition= , editor= , author=Kristian Pope , title=Tuff Stuff Professional Wrestling Field Guide: Legend and Lore , chapter= citation , genre= , publisher=Krause Publications , isbn=9781440228100 , page= , passage=Tuff Stuff Professional Wrestling }}

    References

    * Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia, tuff (wikipedia tuff)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) tuffe, (tuf), from (etyl) tufo, from (etyl) .

    Noun

  • (rock) A light porous rock, now especially a rock composed of compacted volcanic ash varying in size from fine sand to coarse gravel.
  • * 2004 , (Richard Fortey), The Earth , Folio Society 2011, p. 9n:
    • This is what makes an ignimbrite; the general term for this kind of volcaniclastic rock is ‘tuff ’.
    Related terms
    * tufflava

    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 .