fuzz

¹

[fuhz]

noun

1. loose, light, fibrous, or fluffy matter.

2. a mass or coating of such matter.

   the fuzz on a peach.

3. Slang.,  a man's very short haircut, similar to a crew cut.

4. a blur.

   That photo is all fuzz.

5. a distorted sound from an electric musical instrument, especially a guitar, produced by means of an electronic device.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become blurred or unclear (sometimes followed by up orout ).

   He fuzzed up the plot line with a lot of emotional nonsense. The image fuzzed and then disappeared.

fuzz

²

[fuhz]

noun

Older Slang.

plural

fuzz, fuzzes 

1. Usually the fuzz the police; police officers collectively.

   The fuzz were called by a neighbor and three policeman showed up.

2. a police officer or detective.

   Fuzzes caught the burglar trying to escape through the back alley.

fuzz

¹

/ fʌz /

noun

1. a mass or covering of fine or curly hairs, fibres, etc

2. a blur

verb

1. to make or become fuzzy

2. to make or become indistinct; blur

fuzz

²

/ fʌz /

noun

1. a slang word for police policeman

Word History and Origins

Origin of fuzz¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; origin uncertain; perhaps a back formation from fuzzy ( def. ); compare Dutch voos “spongy, woolly”

Origin of fuzz²

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25; of uncertain origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of fuzz¹

C17: perhaps from Low German fussig loose

Origin of fuzz²

C20: of uncertain origin

Example Sentences

Mixed in the crowd were young applicants with peach fuzz and older men and women, hair streaked with gray.

From Los Angeles Times

Charles narrates the film in a calm voice tinged with the comforting fuzz of an old recording.

From Los Angeles Times

The music still puts catchy vocal hooks over chunky guitar fuzz, though the LP also includes a laid-back rap-rock collab with Wiz Khalifa and a pretty credible country tune in the wistful “Deserve You.”

From Los Angeles Times

"If you're driving in here, everything would be a fuzz to you on the notices because they are so small."

From BBC

But Friends of Big Bear Valley, the educational nonprofit that runs the webcam, confirmed Friday evening that a small bit of visible gray fuzz may indeed be the remains of one young chick.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• lint