fuzz

¹

[ fuhz ]

noun

1. loose, light, fibrous, or fluffy matter.
2. a mass or coating of such matter:

   the fuzz on a peach.

3. Slang. a man's very short haircut, similar to a crew cut.
4. a blur:

   That photo is all fuzz.

5. a distorted sound from an electric musical instrument, especially a guitar, produced by means of an electronic device.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become blurred or unclear (sometimes followed by up or out ):

   He fuzzed up the plot line with a lot of emotional nonsense. The image fuzzed and then disappeared.

fuzz

²

[ fuhz ]

noun

, Older Slang.

, plural fuzz, fuzz·es

1. Usually the fuzz. the police; police officers collectively:

   The fuzz were called by a neighbor and three policeman showed up.

2. a police officer or detective:

   Fuzzes caught the burglar trying to escape through the back alley.

fuzz

¹

/ fʌz /

noun

1. See policeman, police
   a slang word for police policeman

fuzz

²

/ fʌz /

noun

1. a mass or covering of fine or curly hairs, fibres, etc
2. a blur

verb

1. to make or become fuzzy
2. to make or become indistinct; blur

Word History and Origins

Origin of fuzz¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; origin uncertain; perhaps a back formation from fuzzy ( def ); compare Dutch voos “spongy, woolly”

Origin of fuzz²

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25; of uncertain origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of fuzz¹

C20: of uncertain origin

Origin of fuzz²

C17: perhaps from Low German fussig loose

Example Sentences

For length, beard trimmers will offer an easy-to-follow number system you can use to pinpoint the perfect level of fuzz.

From Popular-Science

That fuzz reduces friction, which makes it easier for the bees to move.

From Science News For Students

He croons velvet wraithvocals in Romance languages and crafts resistance symphonies of fuzz and static.

From Washington Post

Forget-me-nots may also be mistaken for borage, but they lack its signature fuzz.

From Popular-Science

One of the key differences between the two is that nectarines are smooth-skinned compared to the characteristic fuzz of peaches, which is a boon for anyone unsettled by eating furry fruit.

From Washington Post

Now he bent his pink moon-face with its sandy fuzz of first beard over her pale lips: no breath.

From The Daily Beast

Click here to watch a clip, complete with fuzz-guitar soundtrack.

From The Daily Beast

Hot Fuzz, the second installment in the Cornetto trilogy, grossed close to $40 million on DVD.

From The Daily Beast

And no one seemed to mind that the models had a bit of fuzz on their legs—or that none of them wore any pants.

From The Daily Beast

I had a big stick with me—about six foot long it was—and did sometimes to beat fuzz with; so I takes the stick by one end.

From Project Gutenberg

I have wound it and purled it and worked on the thing till I'm tasting fuzz.

From Project Gutenberg

Or the sticks of cellulose, or the curved, wire device with fuzz at the ends?

From Project Gutenberg

She shrank back against him in a palsy of repugnance at about an inch of moving fuzz on a rhododendron.

From Project Gutenberg

The skin of quinces is covered with a thick fuzz, which can be removed by wiping the fruit with a damp cloth.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• lint