fuzz

¹ American  

[fuhz] / fʌz /

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.

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verb (used with or without object)

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

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

fuzz ² American  

[fuhz] / fʌz /

noun

Older Slang.

plural

fuzz, fuzzes

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.

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fuzz ¹ British  

/ fʌz /

noun

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

2. a blur

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verb

1. to make or become fuzzy

2. to make or become indistinct; blur

fuzz ² British  

/ fʌz /

noun

1. a slang word for police policeman

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Etymology

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

Explanation

Fuzz is a downy or hair patch of fibers. Most kids love to blow the fuzz off of a dandelion. The furry growth on your cactus plant is fuzz, and so is your sister's frizzy hair and your cousin's patchy attempt at sideburns. You can also call an unfocused, blurry image fuzz: "I was so tired that there was fuzz at the edges of my vision." Informally, some people refer to police officers as fuzz too, a usage that dates from 1920s US gangster slang.

Example Sentences

Mocha Mousse succeeds the color for 2024, Peach Fuzz — “a light, fruity tone that conjures peace and serenity.”

From Salon • Dec. 5, 2024

Fuzz morphed into a short-lived group called 60 Wrong Sausages, which featured Finn on bass and another friend of Finn’s, Jason Cropper, on guitar.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2024

Then, after the rail jam, the headliners: Bellingham rockers Sour Fuzz will take over the park’s stage, playing from 8 to 10 p.m. to close out the night.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 1, 2024

Now she is getting ideas sent into her every day after setting up her Instagram page Captured by the Fuzz.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2021

Peach Fuzz nods as though he understands and the two of them build a mound of bubbles.

From "A Step from Heaven" by An Na

Related Words

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