eff

¹ American  

[ef] / ɛf /

verb (used with or without object)

1. fuck.

   Stop effing around and get to work!

   Eff you, you lout!

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noun

1. the word “fuck”; the f-word.

   peppering his speech with superfluous and highly offensive effs.

verb phrase

1. eff off Go away!.

   Eff off and die, you piece of Martian scum!

eff. ² American  

abbreviation

1. efficient, efficiency.

2. effective, effectiveness.

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eff British  

/ ɛf /

verb

1. taboo euphemism for fuck

   eff off

2. slang to use obscene language

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Other Word Forms

• effing noun

Etymology

Origin of eff

1940–45; euphemism for fuck, with eff as spelled form of the name of the initial letter

Example Sentences

Almost everyone spells it out, saying “en eff tee.”

From The Verge • Jun. 6, 2022

Saints deserved far more than the square root of eff all they got from recent visits to Anfield and the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while Burnley have recently won at Old Trafford.

From The Guardian • Feb. 15, 2020

GMT07:35 35 mins: Worth noting that, improved as Chelsea have been, with Willian, Oscar and Hazard in particular doing good work, Cesc Fabregas has done the square root of eff all.

From The Guardian • Nov. 29, 2015

That’s the Uruguayan River Plate, eff why eye:

From The Guardian • Aug. 24, 2015

But he got his 'serts an'll git mo' ob dem eff he ain't keerful.

From The Earth Trembled by Roe, Edward Payson