biff
1 Americannoun
verb (used with object)
noun
noun
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a blow with the fist
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slang:school a blow to the palm of the hand with a strap or cane as a punishment
verb
Etymology
Origin of biff
An Americanism dating back to 1840–50; perhaps imitative
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On the first point: MoviePass’ old management did indeed biff it spectacularly.
From Slate • Jun. 17, 2023
They could biff three and still embarrass the rest of the world.
From Slate • Aug. 12, 2016
No dice for the Swiss. 30-15 and Del Potro has enough biff in his groundstrokes to outmuscle Federer from the baseline.
From BBC • Nov. 10, 2012
Saturday's John Tessier sang with the subtler artistry, whereas the strong-voiced Jonathan Boyd was insistently loud and tended to biff out accents too emphatically.
From Seattle Times • May 9, 2011
"Dang me, if she didn't think 'twas a biff at her."
From The Soul of Susan Yellam by Vachell, Horace Annesley
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
