muff
a thick, tubular case for the hands, covered with fur or other material, used by women and girls for warmth and as a handbag.
a bungled or clumsy action or performance.
Sports. a failure to hold onto a ball that may reasonably be expected to be caught successfully.
a tuft of feathers on the sides of the head of certain fowls.
Slang: Vulgar. a woman's pubic area.
See under muff glass.
Informal. to bungle; handle clumsily: He muffed a good opportunity.
Sports. to fail to hold onto (a ball that may reasonably be expected to be caught successfully); fumble.
Informal. to bungle; perform clumsily.
Origin of muff
1Other words from muff
- muffy, adjective
Words Nearby muff
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use muff in a sentence
The kitchen assembles and refrigerates his muff-A-Lotta the day before diners can actually buy it.
Many anglers, caught up in the excitement of facing down their first bonefish or permit, will muff their first few casts.
With covid protocols, a Caribbean fly-fishing haven is back in business | Chris Santella | April 2, 2021 | Washington PostA muff’s durability and reliability make them a great choice for hunters everywhere.
Best hand warmers: Block the chill during your favorite winter activities | PopSci Commerce Team | February 10, 2021 | Popular-ScienceWith hands nervously working within her muff, she suddenly missed the handkerchief which she had placed there.
Hilda Lessways | Arnold BennettA full, busy youth is your only prelude to a self-contained and independent age; and the muff inevitably develops into a bore.
The Pocket R.L.S. | Robert Louis Stevenson
They looked sad, and the girl took her handkerchief from her muff and held it to her eyes.
The Story of the Big Front Door | Mary Finley LeonardMoreover, it is not improbable that the reader is ready to agree with the old satirist in thinking the young man a muff.
Horsemanship for Women | Theodore Hoe MeadShe went to Peter Robinson's and spent twenty-seven pounds nineteen and sixpence on a muff and stole for Griselda.
Happy House | Betsey Riddle, Freifrau von Hutten zum Stolzenberg
British Dictionary definitions for muff (1 of 2)
/ (mʌf) /
an open-ended cylinder of fur or cloth into which the hands are placed for warmth
the tuft on either side of the head of certain fowls
Origin of muff
1British Dictionary definitions for muff (2 of 2)
/ (mʌf) /
to perform (an action) awkwardly
(tr) to bungle (a shot, catch, etc) in a game
any unskilful play in a game, esp a dropped catch
any clumsy or bungled action
a bungler
Origin of muff
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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