baff

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bæf/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æf

Etymology 1

From Middle English baffen (“to bark”). Cognate with Dutch baffen (“to bark”), Low German baffen (“to bark”), German baffen, bäfzen (“to bark”), Danish bjæffe (“to yelp”), Swedish bjäbba (“to yelp, bark”). Compare buff, yaff.

Verb

baff (third-person singular simple present baffs, present participle baffing, simple past and past participle baffed)

1. (intransitive, archaic) To bark; yelp.

Etymology 2

Probably from Scots baff, beff, bauf, probably from West Flemish baf, baffe (“a blow, slap in the face”). Compare also Old French baffe (“slap in the face”) (Modern French baffe), of imitative origin.

Verb

baff (third-person singular simple present baffs, present participle baffing, simple past and past participle baffed)

1. To hit or strike, especially with something flat or soft.
2. (golf) To strike the ground with the bottom of the club when taking a stroke.

Derived terms

• baffed out

Etymology 3

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

baff (uncountable)

1. (Geordie, Scotland) blank (Can we add an example for this sense?)

References

• Frank Graham (1987) The New Geordie Dictionary, →ISBN
• Northumberland Words, English Dialect Society, R. Oliver Heslop, 1893–4

German

Etymology

Onomatopoeic

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /baf/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

baff (strong nominative masculine singular baffer, not comparable)

1. (colloquial, chiefly predicative) flabbergasted
   • 2020 June 1, “Verliebt, verlobt – verschieben?”, in Die Zeit‎^[1]:

     Sie haben gejubelt, hatten Ballons dabei und haben uns Glückwünsche zugerufen. Wir waren so baff. Manche kamen nur dafür von richtig weit her.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

Positive forms of baff (uncomparable)

number & gender		singular			plural
		masculine	feminine	neuter
predicative		er ist baff	sie ist baff	es ist baff	sie sind baff
strong declension (without article)	nominative	baffer	baffe	baffes	baffe
	genitive	baffen	baffer	baffen	baffer
	dative	baffem	baffer	baffem	baffen
	accusative	baffen	baffe	baffes	baffe
weak declension (with definite article)	nominative	der baffe	die baffe	das baffe	die baffen
	genitive	des baffen	der baffen	des baffen	der baffen
	dative	dem baffen	der baffen	dem baffen	den baffen
	accusative	den baffen	die baffe	das baffe	die baffen
mixed declension (with indefinite article)	nominative	ein baffer	eine baffe	ein baffes	(keine) baffen
	genitive	eines baffen	einer baffen	eines baffen	(keiner) baffen
	dative	einem baffen	einer baffen	einem baffen	(keinen) baffen
	accusative	einen baffen	eine baffe	ein baffes	(keine) baffen

Further reading

• “baff” in Duden online