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Tuft vs Quiff - What's the difference?

tuft | quiff | Related terms |

Tuft is a related term of quiff.


As nouns the difference between tuft and quiff

is that tuft is a bunch of feathers, grass or hair, etc, held together at the base while quiff is a puff or whiff, especially of tobacco smoke or quiff can be (regional|slang) a trick or ploy; a stratagem or quiff can be a hairstyle whereby the forelock is brushed and/or gelled upward, often associated with the styles of the 1950s or quiff can be (slang) a young girl, especially as promiscuous; a prostitute.

As verbs the difference between tuft and quiff

is that tuft is to provide or decorate with a tuft or tufts while quiff is to arrange (the hair) in such a manner.

tuft

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A bunch of feathers, grass or hair, etc., held together at the base.
  • A cluster of threads drawn tightly through upholstery, a mattress or a quilt, etc., to secure and strengthen the padding.
  • A small clump of trees or bushes.
  • (historical) A gold tassel on the cap worn by titled undergraduates at English universities.
  • (historical) A person entitled to wear such a tassel.
  • * T. Hughes
    • Several young tufts , and others of the faster men.

    Derived terms

    *tufthunting *tufthunter

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To provide or decorate with a tuft or tufts.
    • (Thomson)
  • To form into tufts.
  • To secure and strengthen (a mattress, quilt, etc.) with tufts.
  • To be formed into tufts.

    • quiff

    English

    Etymology 1

    Variant form of (whiff).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A puff or whiff, especially of tobacco smoke.

    • Etymology 2

    Origin unknown.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (regional, slang) A trick or ploy; a stratagem.
  • *1933 , (John Masefield), The Bird of Dawning :
  • *:It was young Mr. Abbott worked that quiff on you, sir.

    • Etymology 3

    Origin uncertain; perhaps a variant of (coif).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A hairstyle whereby the forelock is brushed and/or gelled upward, often associated with the styles of the 1950s.
  • *2012 , Tom Lamont, The Observer , 2 Sep 2012:
  • *:His woolly brown hair shaped into a drooping quiff , he's been sitting poolside all morning, snatching sucks on cigarettes before the waiters can tell him no, and thinking about reworking some incidental music for the band's gig tomorrow.

    • Verb

  • To arrange (the hair) in such a manner.

    • Etymology 4

    Probably variant of .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (slang) A young girl, especially as promiscuous; a prostitute.
  • *1949 , (w, John O'Hara), Rage to Live :
  • *:How would I get an African toothache when the closest I been to a quiff in over a month is sitting next to one?
  • (slang) The vulva or vagina.
  • *2000 , (JG Ballard), Super-Cannes , Fourth Estate 2011, p. 120:
  • *:Jane was drying herself in the bedroom, holding the bath towel behind her shoulders, her small breasts and childlike nipples flushed from the power jet, her quiff a barely visible thread.