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单词 bluff
释义

bluff

1 of 4

adjective

ˈbləf How to pronounce bluff (audio)
1
a
: having a broad flattened front
a ship with bluff bows
b
: rising steeply with a broad flat or rounded front
the bluff banks of the river
2
: good-naturedly frank and outspoken
a bluff, easygoing fellow
bluffly adverb
bluffness noun

bluff

2 of 4

noun (1)

: a high steep bank : cliff
stood on the bluffs overlooking the ocean

bluff

3 of 4

verb

bluffed; bluffing; bluffs

transitive verb

1
a
: to deter or frighten by pretense or a mere show of strength
bluffed them into surrendering
b
: deceive
bluff her way in without a ticket
c
: feign
The catcher bluffed a throw to first.
2
card games : to deceive (an opponent) by a bold bet on an inferior hand
was bluffed out of a winning hand

intransitive verb

: to bluff someone : act deceptively
You can tell when he is bluffing.
bluffer noun

bluff

4 of 4

noun (2)

1
a
: a false threat or claim intended to deter or deceive someone : an act or instance of bluffing (see bluff entry 3)
Having … nothing to support his pretensions he decided to put up a bluff. Sherwood Anderson
His boss called his bluff.
b
: the practice of bluffing
The agreement had been reached, after weeks of bluff and haggle … Time
2
: one who bluffs

Synonyms

Adjective

  • abrupt
  • blunt
  • brusque
  • brusk
  • crusty
  • curt
  • downright
  • short
  • short-spoken
  • snippy
  • unceremonious

Noun (1)

  • barranca
  • barranco
  • cliff
  • crag
  • escarpment
  • palisade
  • precipice
  • scar
  • scarp

Verb

  • bamboozle
  • beguile
  • buffalo
  • burn
  • catch
  • con
  • cozen
  • deceive
  • delude
  • dupe
  • fake out
  • fool
  • gaff
  • gammon
  • gull
  • have
  • have on [chiefly British]
  • hoax
  • hoodwink
  • hornswoggle
  • humbug
  • juggle
  • misguide
  • misinform
  • mislead
  • snooker
  • snow
  • spoof
  • string along
  • suck in
  • sucker
  • take in
  • trick
See all Synonyms & Antonyms

Example Sentences

Adjective he's a bluff but good-hearted teacher Verb She says someone else has made her a higher offer, but I think she's bluffing. Don't listen to his threats—he's just bluffing you. I bluffed my way through the interview.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun (1)

obsolete Dutch blaf flat; akin to Middle Low German blaff smooth

Verb and Noun (2)

probably from Dutch bluffen to boast, play a kind of card game

First Known Use

Adjective

1627, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (1)

1666, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1791, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

bluff 1 of 4

adjective

ˈbləf How to pronounce bluff (audio)
1
: rising steeply with a broad front
a bluff shoreline
2
: frank and outspoken in a rough but good-natured way

bluff

2 of 4

noun

: a high steep bank : cliff

bluff

3 of 4

verb

bluffed; bluffing
: to deceive or frighten by pretending to have more strength or confidence than is really true

bluff

4 of 4

noun

: an act or instance of pretending to have more strength, confidence, or ability than is really true

Geographical Definition

Bluff

geographical name

ˈbləf How to pronounce Bluff (audio)
town in southern New Zealand

Note: Bluff serves as the port for the city of Invercargill.

bluff 1 of 3

adjective

as in blunt
being or characterized by direct, brief, and potentially rude speech or manner he's a bluff but good-hearted teacher

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
  • blunt
  • abrupt
  • short
  • gruff
  • curt
  • rude
  • outspoken
  • brusque
  • downright
  • crass
  • plain
  • brusk
  • unceremonious
  • crusty
  • frank
  • honest
  • short-spoken
  • rough
  • straightforward
  • snippy
  • direct
  • vulgar
  • straight-out
  • open
  • disrespectful
  • reserved
  • candid
  • forthright
  • earnest
  • artless
  • plainspoken
  • impolite
  • tactless
  • discourteous
  • snappish
  • foursquare
  • point-blank
  • coarse
  • inconsiderate
  • laconic
  • reticent
  • impertinent
  • undiplomatic
  • insensitive
  • closemouthed
  • crude
  • sincere
  • free-spoken
  • low
  • terse
  • uncouth
  • brief
  • tight-lipped

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

  • diplomatic
  • civil
  • polite
  • suave
  • circuitous
  • gracious
  • smooth
  • politic
  • tactful
  • courteous
  • mealymouthed
  • talkative
  • considerate
  • voluble
  • loquacious
  • verbose
  • genteel
  • gallant
  • polished
  • cultivated
  • refined
  • prolix
  • courtly
  • long-winded
See More

bluff

2 of 3

noun

as in cliff
a steep wall of rock, earth, or ice fossils embedded in a stone bluff that date from the Jurassic period

Synonyms & Similar Words

  • cliff
  • escarpment
  • palisade
  • crag
  • precipice
  • scarp
  • barranca
  • scar
  • butte
  • embankment
  • hogback
  • barranco
  • cuesta
  • tor
  • declivity
  • pitch
  • bulwark
  • drop-off

bluff

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to fool
to cause to believe what is untrue I bluffed the interviewer into believing that I could really speak French and thus would be the perfect person to serve in the newspaper's Paris bureau

Synonyms & Similar Words

  • fool
  • trick
  • deceive
  • gull
  • sucker
  • tease
  • hoax
  • gaff
  • cheat
  • mislead
  • con
  • hoodwink
  • buffalo
  • kid
  • delude
  • dupe
  • snow
  • bamboozle
  • humbug
  • suck in
  • gammon
  • spoof
  • snooker
  • misinform
  • hornswoggle
  • catch
  • beguile
  • cozen
  • string along
  • sting
  • juggle
  • fake out
  • swindle
  • lead one up the garden path
  • burn
  • lead one down the garden path
  • misguide
  • have on
  • pull one's leg
  • have
  • euchre
  • take in
  • pull the wool over one's eyes
  • rook
  • do a number on
  • stick
  • flimflam
  • defraud
  • hustle
  • put on
  • diddle
  • fleece
  • mulct
  • chisel
  • shortchange
  • skin
  • bleed
  • squeeze

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

  • expose
  • unmask
  • undeceive
  • reveal
  • tell
  • debunk
  • uncover
  • show up
  • divulge
  • disclose
  • uncloak
  • unveil
  • disillusion
  • disabuse
  • disenchant
See More
2
as in to pretend
to present a false appearance of the basketball player bluffed a shot, then passed instead

Synonyms & Similar Words

  • pretend
  • simulate
  • assume
  • sham
  • feign
  • act
  • fake
  • affect
  • dissemble
  • make believe
  • pose
  • counterfeit
  • put on
  • forge
  • conceal
  • feint
  • pass (for)
  • masquerade
  • play
  • dissimulate
  • camouflage
  • profess
  • imitate
  • playact
  • impersonate
  • disguise
  • mask
  • let on
  • malinger

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of bluff are blunt, brusque, crusty, curt, and gruff. While all these words mean "abrupt and unceremonious in speech and manner," bluff connotes good-natured outspokenness and unconventionality.

a bluff manner

The meanings of blunt and bluff largely overlap; however, blunt suggests directness of expression in disregard of others' feelings.

a blunt appraisal

While the synonyms brusque and bluff are close in meaning, brusque applies to a sharpness or ungraciousness.

a brusque response

Although the words crusty and bluff have much in common, crusty suggests a harsh or surly manner sometimes concealing an inner kindliness.

a crusty exterior

The words curt and bluff can be used in similar contexts, but curt implies disconcerting shortness or rude conciseness.

a curt command

In some situations, the words gruff and bluff are roughly equivalent. However, gruff suggests a hoarse or husky speech which may imply bad temper but more often implies embarrassment or shyness.

puts on a gruff pose
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更新时间:2024/12/23 23:31:01