loofn.1
/luːf/, U.S. /luf/, Scottish English /luf/ Scottish and northern dialect.
The palm of the hand. to creesh one's loof: see creesh v. aff loof adverbial phr. = off hand.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > external parts of body > limb > extremities > hand > [noun] > palm of
loof13..
palmc1300
doll1567
handhole1767
flat1828
palmar1890
13.. S. Erkenwolde 349 in Horstm. Altengl. Leg. (1881) 274 Þene wos louynge oure lorde with loves vp haldene.
a1400–50 Alexander (Ashm.) 2569 Þe licor in his awen looue [Dublin MS. lofe], þe lettir in þe tothire.
c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness l. 987 Wyth lyȝt louez vplyfte þay loued hym swyþe.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) vii. 26 Take a litill bawme and lay it on þe lufe of þi hand.
a1500 (a1460) Towneley Plays (1994) I. iii. 44 I may towch with my lufe The grownd evyn here.
a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Fox, Wolf, & Cadger l. 2072 in Poems (1981) 79 I sall off it mak mittenis to my lufis Till hald my handis hait quhair euer I be.
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid viii. ii. 5 And in the holl luffis of his hand, quhair he stude, Dewly the wattir hynt he fra the flude.
1562 W. Turner 2nd Pt. Herball f. 108 They be as big as a man can grype in the palm or loofe of his hande.
1573 in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. xxxix. 203 The suddartis luiffis wes as ouirlaid wt lyme.
1637 S. Rutherford Lett. (1863) I. 198 We are fools to be browden and fond of a pawn in the loof of our hand.
a1653 Z. Boyd Zion's Flowers (1855) 54 If in your loof yee all this silver had.
1721 A. Ramsay Lucky Spence xii Wi' well-creesh'd loofs I hae been canty.
1728 A. Ramsay Robert Richy & Sandy 62 (1877) II. 8 A canty tale he'd tell aff loof.
1792 R. Burns in J. Johnson Scots Musical Museum IV. 389 Auld baudrans by the ingle sits, An' wi' her loof her face a washin'.
1830 J. Galt Lawrie Todd III. vii. vii. 75 Though the case were as plain as my loofe.
1855 F. K. Robinson Gloss. Yorks. Words 107 Give us thy lufe, not thy fist.
1896 J. M. Barrie Sentimental Tommy xix. 215 Using the loof of his hand as a spoon.
Derivatives
loof-ful n. Scottish a handful.
ΚΠ
c1540 D. Lindsay Kitteis Confess. 90 Curnis of meil, and luffillis of Malt.
1728 P. Walker Life A. Peden (1827) 61 Waving his Hand to the West, from whence he desired the Wind, said, Lord, give us a Loof-full of Wind.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1903; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
loofn.2
/luːf/, U.S. /luf/ = loofah n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > washing > washing oneself or body > [noun] > bathing > cloth, sponge, etc., used in bathing
bath-cloth1618
vegetable sponge1837
loof1865
wool-sponge1879
loofah1887
bath-sponge1889
bath-brush1895
1865 Pall Mall Gaz. 4 Aug. 3/2 A good rough Baden-Baden towel, or the Lough used in the Turkish bath.
1870 Treasury Bot. Louff. Luffa ægyptiaca.
1897 Webster's Internat. Dict. Eng. Lang. Loof.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1903; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
† loofadv.
Obsolete.
= aloof adv., int., adj., and prep., at a distance.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > distance or farness > [adverb] > kept or placed at a distance apart
a-squarec1460
ysowndir1513
aloof1544
loof1558
aloof off?a1560
clear1600
large1670
abeighc1707
overhand1816
aloofly1891
remotely1897
1558 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Seuen First Bks. Eneidos i. sig. A. j There was a towne of auncient tyme Carthago of old it hight, Against Italia and Tybers mouthe laie loof at seas aright.
1558 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Seuen First Bks. Eneidos vii. U j b Him wandring loof astray.
1558 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Seuen First Bks. Eneidos iii. F iij There lieth a lond far loof at seas, wher Mars is lord.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1903; most recently modified version published online March 2021).
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n.113..n.21865
adv.1558