bluff
1[ bluhf ]
/ blʌf /
adjective, bluff·er, bluff·est.
good-naturedly direct, blunt, or frank; heartily outspoken: a big, bluff, generous man.
presenting a bold and nearly perpendicular front, as a coastline: a bluff, precipitous headland.
Nautical. (of the bow of a vessel) having a full, blunt form.
noun
a cliff, headland, or hill with a broad, steep face.
North Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Canadian Prairie Provinces. a clump or grove of trees on a prairie or other generally treeless area.
RELATED WORDS
sham, subterfuge, ruse, cliff, ridge, hill, promontory, crag, pretend, delude, short, blunt, brief, direct, frank, rough, tart, open, lie, humbug
Nearby words
Origin of bluff
11620–30; perhaps < Middle Low German blaff smooth, even, or < Middle Dutch blaf broad, flat
SYNONYMS FOR bluff
Synonym study
1. See blunt.
bluff
2[ bluhf ]
/ blʌf /
verb (used with object)
to mislead by a display of strength, self-confidence, or the like: He bluffed me into believing that he was a doctor.
to gain by bluffing: He bluffed his way into the job.
Poker. to deceive by a show of confidence in the strength of one's cards.
verb (used without object)
to mislead someone by presenting a bold, strong, or self-confident front: That open face makes it impossible for him to bluff.
noun
an act or instance or the practice of bluffing: Her pathetic story was all a bluff to get money from us. His assertive manner is mostly bluff.
a person who bluffs; bluffer: That big bluff doesn't have a nickel to his name.
Origin of bluff
21665–75; perhaps < Low German bluffen to bluster, frighten; akin to Middle Dutch bluffen to make a trick at cards
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for bluff
bluff
1/ (blʌf) /
verb
to pretend to be confident about an uncertain issue or to have undisclosed resources, in order to influence or deter (someone)
noun
deliberate deception intended to create the impression of a stronger position or greater resources than one actually has
call someone's bluff to challenge someone to give proof of his claims
Word Origin for bluff
C19: originally US poker-playing term, from Dutch bluffen to boast
noun
a steep promontory, bank, or cliff, esp one formed by river erosion on the outside bend of a meander
Canadian a clump of trees on the prairie; copse
adjective
good-naturedly frank and hearty
(of a bank, cliff, etc) presenting a steep broad face
Word Origin for bluff
C17 (in the sense: nearly perpendicular): perhaps from Middle Dutch blaf broad
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
bluff
see call someone's bluff.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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