gaff

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈgaf

: a handled hook for holding or lifting heavy fish

: a spear or spearhead for taking fish or turtles

: a metal spur for a gamecock

: a butcher's hook

: a climbing iron or its steel point

: the spar (see spar entry 1 sense 2a) on which the head of a fore-and-aft sail is extended

: gaffe

gaff

2 of 5

verb (1)

gaffed; gaffing; gaffs

transitive verb

: to strike or secure with a spear or hook

gaff a salmon

: to fit (a gamecock) with a metal spur

gaff

3 of 5

noun (2)

: something painful or difficult to bear : ordeal

—usually used in the phrase stand the gaff

especially : persistent raillery or criticism

: rough treatment : abuse

: hoax, fraud

: gimmick, trick

gaff

4 of 5

verb (2)

gaffed; gaffing; gaffs

transitive verb

: deceive, trick

also : fleece

: to fix for the purpose of cheating

gaff the dice

gaff

5 of 5

noun (3)

British

: a cheap theater or music hall

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

borrowed from French gaffe, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Old Occitan gaf, probably derivative of gafar "to seize," of obscure origin

Note: Middle English gaffe, occurring in the early 14th-century "Kildare Poems" (British Library MS Harley 913) and glossed "iron hook" in the Middle English Dictionary, is of uncertain relation to the modern word. It predates attestations of the word in French.

Verb (1)

derivative of gaff entry 1

Noun (2)

of obscure origin

Verb (2)

probably derivative of gaff entry 3

Noun (3)

of obscure origin

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb (1)

1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

1933, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

1812, in the meaning defined above

单词	gaffers
释义	gaff 1 of 5 noun (1) ˈgaf 1 a : a handled hook for holding or lifting heavy fish b : a spear or spearhead for taking fish or turtles c : a metal spur for a gamecock d : a butcher's hook e : a climbing iron or its steel point 2 : the spar (see spar entry 1 sense 2a) on which the head of a fore-and-aft sail is extended 3 : gaffe gaff 2 of 5 verb (1) gaffed; gaffing; gaffs transitive verb 1 : to strike or secure with a spear or hook gaff a salmon 2 : to fit (a gamecock) with a metal spur gaff 3 of 5 noun (2) 1 a : something painful or difficult to bear : ordeal —usually used in the phrase stand the gaff especially : persistent raillery or criticism b : rough treatment : abuse 2 a : hoax, fraud b : gimmick, trick gaff 4 of 5 verb (2) gaffed; gaffing; gaffs transitive verb 1 : deceive, trick also : fleece 2 : to fix for the purpose of cheating gaff the dice gaff 5 of 5 noun (3) British : a cheap theater or music hall Synonyms Noun (1) familiarity faux pas gaffe impropriety indiscretion solecism Verb (2) bamboozle beguile bluff buffalo burn catch con cozen deceive delude dupe fake out fool 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 Word History Etymology Noun (1) borrowed from French gaffe, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Old Occitan gaf, probably derivative of gafar "to seize," of obscure origin Note: Middle English gaffe, occurring in the early 14th-century "Kildare Poems" (British Library MS Harley 913) and glossed "iron hook" in the Middle English Dictionary, is of uncertain relation to the modern word. It predates attestations of the word in French. Verb (1) derivative of gaff entry 1 Noun (2) of obscure origin Verb (2) probably derivative of gaff entry 3 Noun (3) of obscure origin First Known Use Noun (1) circa 1656, in the meaning defined at sense 1b Verb (1) 1844, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun (2) 1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Verb (2) 1933, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Noun (3) 1812, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing gaff blow the gaff gaff-topsail blow the gaff gaff-topsail gaffers noun plural of gaffer 1 as in graybeards Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance graybeards patriarchs geriatrics oldsters ancients dowagers whitebeards old-timers senior citizens adults elders golden-agers seniors grandams dotards grandames beldams beldames grown-ups Antonyms & Near Antonyms youngsters youths minors kids adolescents children juveniles kiddies cubs See More 2 as in managers Synonyms & Similar Words managers supervisors superintendents overseers skippers foremen principals stewards rulers helmsmen gangers directors masters captains bosses taskmasters mistresses leaders chiefs superiors honchos overlords potentates administrators figureheads executives employers leadmen kingpins sovereigns jefes headmen straw bosses commanders governors magnates presidents kings bigwigs generals standard-bearers barons queens moguls czars forewomen taskmistresses heads princes hierarchs princesses higher-ups micromanagers big guns boss men sovrans top guns czarinas top dogs big cheeses tsars tzars coleaders coheads tzarinas co-heads tsarinas co-leaders
随便看	fabaceaes fabaceous fabber fabbest fabe faber fabest Fabian fabianae fabianas fabianer fabianest fabianism fabianisms fabianner fabiannest fabians fabiform Fabiola Fabius fable fabled hit the trail hit the wall hit theory

gaff

noun (1)

verb (1)

noun (2)

verb (2)

noun (3)

Synonyms

Word History

Phrases Containing gaff

noun