daff

¹ American

[daf] / dæf /

verb (used without object)

Scot. and North England.

to make sport; dally; play.

daff ² American

[daf] / dæf /

verb (used with object)

Archaic. to turn or thrust aside.
Obsolete. to doff.

daff ¹ British

/ dæf /

noun

informal short for daffodil

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

daff ² British

/ dɑːf /

verb

(intr) to frolic; play the fool

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of daff¹

1525–35; v. use of daff (obsolete) a fool, Middle English daffe (noun); see daft

Origin of daff²

First recorded in 1590–1600; alteration of doff

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.

To DAFF, v. n. to sport; to romp.

From Wilson's Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume XXIV. by Leighton, Alexander

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023