English Explanatory Dictionary

cuff

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Glove; mitten
  2. The end of a shirt sleeve that covers the wrist.
  3. The end of a pants leg when folded up.
  4. A surgical procedure in which parts of the body that were not previously connected are stitched together.
verb
  1. To furnish with cuffs.
noun
  1. A handcuff.
verb
  1. To handcuff.
  2. To enter into a committed romantic relationship with (someone).
verb
  1. To hit, as a reproach, particularly with the open palm to the head; to slap.
  2. To fight; to scuffle; to box.
  3. To buffet.
noun
  1. A blow, especially with the open hand; a box; a slap.
noun
  1. The scruff of the neck.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/kʌf/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-cuff.wav /kɐf/ /kʊf/

Word forms

cuff cuffs cuffing cuffed Cuffe

Etymology

From Middle English cuffe, coffe (“glove, mitten”), of obscure origin. Perhaps from Old English cuffie (“hood, cap”), from Medieval Latin cofia, cofea, cuffa, cuphia (“helmet, headdress, hood, cap”), from Frankish *kuf(f)ja (“headdress”), from Proto-West Germanic *kuffju, from Proto-Germanic *kupjō (“cap”). Cognate with Middle High German kupfe (“cap”).

Related words

cufflinks turnup off-the-cuff

Derived words

cuffband cuffless cufflike cufflink double cuff flex-cuff French cuff handcuffs intracuff legcuff leg cuff mousquetaire cuff off the cuff on the cuff pantcuff pressure cuff rotator cuff shoot one's cuffs tailcuff trumpet cuff cuffable cuff up uncuff cuff the carrot cuffer cuff out Chinese thumb cuff countercuff cuff on the ear fisticuff
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