BLUFF

bluff

(adjective) bluntly direct and outspoken but good-natured; “a bluff but pleasant manner”; “a bluff and rugged natural leader”

bluff, bold, sheer

(adjective) very steep; having a prominent and almost vertical front; “a bluff headland”; “where the bold chalk cliffs of England rise”; “a sheer descent of rock”

bluff, four flush

(noun) the act of bluffing in poker; deception by a false show of confidence in the strength of your cards

bluff

(noun) pretense that your position is stronger than it really is; “his bluff succeeded in getting him accepted”

bluff

(noun) a high steep bank (usually formed by river erosion)

bluff

(verb) frighten someone by pretending to be stronger than one really is

bluff, bluff out

(verb) deceive an opponent by a bold bet on an inferior hand with the result that the opponent withdraws a winning hand

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology 1

Noun

bluff (countable and uncountable, plural bluffs)

An act of bluffing; a false expression of the strength of one's position in order to intimidate; braggadocio.

(poker) An attempt to represent oneself as holding a stronger hand than they actually do.

(US, dated) The card game poker.

One who bluffs; a bluffer.

(slang, dated) An excuse.

Verb

bluff (third-person singular simple present bluffs, present participle bluffing, simple past and past participle bluffed)

(poker) To make a bluff; to give the impression that one's hand is stronger than it is.

(by analogy) To frighten or deter with a false show of strength or confidence; to give a false impression of strength or temerity in order to intimidate and gain some advantage.

To take advantage by bluffing.

Etymology 2

Noun

bluff (plural bluffs)

A high, steep bank, for example by a river or the sea, or beside a ravine or plain; a cliff with a broad face.

(Canadian Prairies) A small wood or stand of trees, typically poplar or willow.

Adjective

bluff (comparative bluffer, superlative bluffest)

Having a broad, flattened front.

Rising steeply with a flat or rounded front.

Surly; churlish; gruff; rough.

Roughly frank and hearty in one's manners.

Synonyms: abrupt, unceremonious, blunt, brusque

Etymology 3

Verb

bluff (third-person singular simple present bluffs, present participle bluffing, simple past and past participle bluffed)

To fluff, puff or swell up.

Proper noun

Bluff

A town in New Zealand, the southernmost in the South Island, and seaport for the Southland region.

Source: Wiktionary

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Bluff, a. Etym: [Cf. OD. blaf flat, broad, blaffaert one with a broad face, also, a boaster; or G. verblüffen to confuse, LG. bluffen to frighten; to unknown origin.]

1. Having a broad, flattened front; as, the bluff bows of a ship. "Bluff visages." Irving.

2. Rising steeply with a flat or rounded front. "A bluff or bold shore." Falconer. Its banks, if not really steep, had a bluff and precipitous aspect. Judd.

3. Surly; churlish; gruff; rough.

4. Abrupt; roughly frank; unceremonious; blunt; brusque; as, a bluff answer; a bluff manner of talking; a bluff sea captain. "Bluff King Hal." Sir W. Scott. There is indeed a bluff pertinacity which is a proper defense in a moment of surprise. I. Taylor.

Bluff, n.

1. A high, steep bank, as by a river or the sea, or beside a ravine or plain; a cliff with a broad face. Beach, bluff, and wave, adieu. Whittier.

2. An act of bluffing; an expression of self-confidence for the purpose of intimidation; braggadocio; as, that is only bluff, or a bluff.

3. A game at cards; poker. [U.S.] Bartlett.

Bluff, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bluffed; p. pr. & vb. n. Bluffing.]

1. (Poker)

Definition: To deter (an opponent) from taking the risk of betting on his hand of cards, as the bluffer does by betting heavily on his own hand although it may be of less value. [U. S.]

2. To frighten or deter from accomplishing a purpose by making a show of confidence in one's strength or resources; as, he bluffed me off. [Colloq.]

Bluff, v. i.

Definition: To act as in the game of bluff.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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