goffer

American  

[gof-er] / ˈgɒf ər /

Also gauffer

noun

1. an ornamental plaiting used for frills and borders, as on women's caps.

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verb (used with object)

1. to flute (a frill, ruffle, etc.), as with a heated iron.

goffer British  

/ ˈɡəʊfə /

verb

1. to press pleats into (a frill)

2. to decorate (the gilt edges of a book) with a repeating pattern

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noun

1. an ornamental frill made by pressing pleats

2. the decoration formed by goffering books

3. the iron or tool used in making goffers

Etymology

Origin of goffer

1700–10; < French gaufre waffle < Middle Dutch wāfel waffle ¹

Example Sentences

Zvi goffer once worked at Rajaratnam's Galleon Group hedge fund firm.

From Reuters • Oct. 7, 2011

A new mortification for poor Cinderella, for it was she who had to iron her sisters' fine linen, and goffer their ruffles.

From Tales of Passed Times by Perrault, Charles

The flat hills of the goffer are likewise seen; this is a kind of large sand rat, living underground, of which I did not obtain a specimen.

From Travels in the Interior of North America, Part I, (Being Chapters I-XV of the London Edition, 1843) Early Western Travels, 1748-1846, Volume XXII by Maximilian, Alexander Philipp

Hence our verb to goffer, to give a cellular appearance to a frill.

From The Romance of Words (4th ed.) by Weekley, Ernest

The only advantage I might ever derive from her was that she would darn my stockings, sew the buttons on my vests, and goffer the frills of my shirts!

From Castles in the Air by Orczy, Emmuska Orczy, Baroness