miff

American  

[mif] / mɪf /

noun

1. petulant displeasure; ill humor.

2. a petty quarrel.

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verb (used with object)

1. to give minor offense to; offend.

   Synonyms:

   vex, irritate, provoke, annoy

miff British  

/ mɪf /

verb

1. to take offence or offend

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noun

1. a petulant mood

2. a petty quarrel

Etymology

Origin of miff

1615–25; perhaps imitative of exclamation of disgust; compare German muffen to sulk

Example Sentences

But then he’ll dig out a joke and do something that might hurt his business — and miff his investors — because, well, he thinks that something is the right thing to do.

From New York Times • Oct. 6, 2012

He may take a miff at any of us any time.

From Breaking Away or The Fortunes of a Student by Kilburn

She's taken a miff at something, I suppose, and means to cut my acquaintance.

From Off-Hand Sketches A Little Dashed with Humor by Arthur, T. S. (Timothy Shay)

In a pet; in a passion or miff.

From 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue by Grose, Francis

But he soon came back, in a great miff, and offered to sell the whole of his fine new outfit for just one half what it cost him.

From Gaut Gurley by Thompson, D. P.