doff
Americanverb (used with object)
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to remove or take off, as clothing.
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to remove or tip (the hat), as in greeting.
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to throw off; get rid of.
Doff your stupid ideas and join our side!
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Textiles.
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to strip (carded fiber) from a carding machine.
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to remove (full bobbins, material, etc.) from a textile machine.
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noun
verb
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to take off or lift (one's hat) in salutation
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to remove (clothing)
Other Word Forms
- doffer noun
Etymology
Origin of doff
1300–50; Middle English, contraction of do off; don 1
Explanation
Use the verb doff to describe removing something. You probably always doff your cap before the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner." The word doff and its antonym don date to the mid-14th century. Doff is a contraction of "do (take) off," and don is short for "do (put) on." By 1755, these words were all but obsolete, but they came back into vogue thanks to Sir Walter Scott, author of works like Ivanhoe, Rob Roy, and The Lady of the Lake. The popular Scottish author used them frequently, and he and his readers kept doff and don alive.
Vocabulary lists containing doff
Romeo and Juliet
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The Balcony Scene from "Romeo and Juliet"
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Chains
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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.
The sellout crowd, which had long been on its feet, continuing cheering, eventually drawing Kershaw back out onto the field to doff his cap in appreciation.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 3, 2025
When they arrive, there is a ceremonial greeting, where the Lords doff their black bicorn hats and the Commons representatives acknowledge this by bowing.
From BBC • May 25, 2024
As Woods made his way up the 18th hole, his emotions apparent, he did not pause as he crossed the ancient Swilcan Bridge, though he did doff his cap to the cheering crowd.
From Washington Post • Jul. 15, 2022
“Courage Hats” wants a little too forcefully to guide us into “deep” places where we will doff our hidey-hats to reveal our true selves — abstract concepts for the literalizing peewee set.
From New York Times • May 20, 2022
We were required to doff our hats as the warder walked by.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
