bluff

¹ American  

[bluhf] / blʌf /

adjective

bluffer, bluffest

1. good-naturedly direct, blunt, or frank; heartily outspoken.

   a big, bluff, generous man.

   Synonyms:

   straightforward, plain-spoken, honest, open, forthright, direct, blunt

   Antonyms:

   roundabout, indirect, circuitous

2. presenting a bold and nearly perpendicular front, as a coastline.

   a bluff, precipitous headland.

   Synonyms:

   steep, abrupt

3. Nautical. (of the bow of a vessel) having a full, blunt form.

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noun

1. a cliff, headland, or hill with a broad, steep face.

2. North Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Canadian Prairie Provinces. a clump or grove of trees on a prairie or other generally treeless area.

bluff ² American  

[bluhf] / blʌf /

verb (used with object)

1. to mislead by a display of knowledge, self-confidence, or boldness.

   He bluffed me into believing that he was a doctor.

   Synonyms:

   trick, mislead, hoodwink, delude, dupe, fool, deceive

2. to gain by a misleading display of knowledge, self-confidence, or boldness.

   He bluffed his way into the job.

3. Poker, Bridge. to deceive (an opponent) by a show of confidence in the strength of one's cards.

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verb (used without object)

1. to mislead someone by presenting a bold, strong, or self-confident front.

   They threatened to sue, but they were only bluffing.

2. Poker, Bridge. to deceive an opponent by a show of confidence in the strength of one's cards.

noun

1. an act or instance or the practice of misleading by presenting a bold, strong, or self-confident front.

   Her story was all a bluff to get money from us.

   His assertive manner is mostly bluff.

2. a person who misleads by presenting knowledge, self-confidence, or boldness; bluffer.

   That big bluff doesn't have a nickel to his name.

idioms

1. call someone's bluff, to expose a person's deception, or challenge someone to carry out a threat.

   He always said he would quit, so we finally called his bluff.

2. bluff with rags, to display confidence in the strength of one's hand when that hand is weak, as a way to win by making an opponent withdraw from play.

bluff ¹ British  

/ blʌf /

noun

1. a steep promontory, bank, or cliff, esp one formed by river erosion on the outside bend of a meander

2. a clump of trees on the prairie; copse

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adjective

1. good-naturedly frank and hearty

2. (of a bank, cliff, etc) presenting a steep broad face

bluff ² British  

/ blʌf /

verb

1. to pretend to be confident about an uncertain issue or to have undisclosed resources, in order to influence or deter (someone)

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noun

1. deliberate deception intended to create the impression of a stronger position or greater resources than one actually has

2. to challenge someone to give proof of his claims

bluff More Idioms  

1. see call someone's bluff.

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Usage

What does bluff mean? Bluff describes someone or something that is blunt or frank in a good-natured way. Someone who talks in a bluff manner says things directly but not hurtfully.A bluff is a cliff or hill with a tall face on one side. Bluffs often border a river or ocean because they get their shape from erosion caused by the natural flow of water.To bluff is to mislead by showing strength or confidence. People bluff to make themselves seem more powerful, larger, or of more authority than those being bluffed. A bluff is an act of bluffing.Example: The cabin was built along the bluff, but erosion is making it sink down the hill.

Related Words

See blunt.

Other Word Forms

• bluffable adjective
• bluffer noun
• bluffly adverb
• bluffness noun
• unbluffable adjective
• unbluffed adjective

Etymology

Origin of bluff¹

First recorded in 1620–30; origin uncertain; perhaps from Middle Low German blaff “smooth, even,” or from Middle Dutch blaf “broad, flat,” i.e., of a face or forehead

Origin of bluff²

First recorded in 1665–75; origin uncertain; perhaps from Low German bluffen “to bluster, frighten”; akin to Middle Dutch bluffen “to make a trick at cards”

Example Sentences

On the international stage, Mr. Mashal’s bluff relies on nobody else having enough skin in the game to call him out.

From The Wall Street Journal

Perched on a bluff above the Mississippi River at the University of Minnesota, the museum was a trial run for Bilbao and Disney, without the help of advanced digital tools.

From Los Angeles Times

With Green stepping back to flay an expected short ball, he was bluffed by a Carse yorker that splattered the stumps.

From BBC

High tides can also cause flooding and beach erosion and, in some cases, cliff and bluff collapses.

From Los Angeles Times

The teen tried to bluff by showing an empty digital wallet, she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cliff
• crag
• hill
• promontory
• ridge