miff

American  

[mif] / mɪf /

noun

1. petulant displeasure; ill humor.

2. a petty quarrel.

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verb (used with object)

1. to give minor offense to; offend.

   Synonyms:

   vex, irritate, provoke, annoy

miff British  

/ mɪf /

verb

1. to take offence or offend

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noun

1. a petulant mood

2. a petty quarrel

Etymology

Origin of miff

1615–25; perhaps imitative of exclamation of disgust; compare German muffen to sulk

Explanation

The verb miff is an informal way to say "annoy." If your sister's constant humming is starting to drive you crazy, you can tell her it miffs you. Long ago, the word miff was also used to mean "huff" or "pique," so you might have described yourself as "in a miff" about your sister's tuneless humming. These days, you're more likely to see the adjective miffed describing someone who's irked: "I am so miffed that none of my friends came to my party on time." Experts guess that miff comes from the annoyed sound you might make when you're really miffed.

Example Sentences

The film will explore how Cooper became torn between two equally devoted women, Mary Kay and his wife, whom he nicknamed Dove, and will also reveal Cooper's acrimonious working relationship with his manager, Miff Ferrie.

From The Guardian • May 23, 2013

If he'll teach me to play the trumpet and give me his old associate, Miff Mole, as trombonist, I'll be very pleased to swap jobs, income and worries about taxes and expenses with him.

From Time Magazine Archive

All the tufts were down flat, and he stood motionless while Mrs Miff retreated.

From My Doggie and I by Ballantyne, R. M. (Robert Michael)

Mr Sownds is sitting on the steps and Mrs Miff is dusting in the church, when a young couple, plainly dressed, come in.

From Dombey and Son by Dickens, Charles

There is no such fact as Mr Miff, nor has there been, these twenty years, and Mrs Miff would rather not allude to him.

From Dombey and Son by Dickens, Charles