Buff (?), n. [OE. buff, buffe, buff, buffalo, F. buffle buffalo. See Buffalo.]
1.
A sort of leather, prepared from the skin of the buffalo, dressed with oil, like chamois; also, the skins of oxen, elks, and other animals, dressed in like manner.
"A suit of
buff."
Shak.
2.
The color to buff; a light yellow, shading toward pink, gray, or brown.
A visage rough,
Deformed, unfeatured, and a skin of buff.
Dryden.
3.
A military coat, made of buff leather.
Shak.
4. Med.
The grayish viscid substance constituting the buffy coat. See Buffy coat, under Buffy, a.
5. Mech.
A wheel covered with buff leather, and used in polishing cutlery, spoons, etc.
6.
The bare skin; as, to strip to the buff.
[Colloq.]
To be in buff is equivalent to being naked.
Wright.
© Webster 1913.
Buff, a.
1.
Made of buff leather.
Goldsmith.
2.
Of the color of buff.
Buff coat, a close, military outer garment, with short sleeves, and laced tightly over the chest, made of buffalo skin, or other thick and elastic material, worn by soldiers in the 17th century as a defensive covering. -- Buff jerkin, originally, a leather waistcoat; afterward, one of cloth of a buff color. [Obs.] Nares. -- Buff stick Mech., a strip of wood covered with buff leather, used in polishing.
© Webster 1913.
Buff, v. t.
To polish with a buff. See Buff, n., 5.
© Webster 1913.
Buff, v. t. [OF. bufer to cuff, buffet. See Buffet a blow.]
To strike.
[Obs.]
B. Jonson.
© Webster 1913.
Buff, n. [See Buffet.]
A buffet; a blow; -- obsolete except in the phrase "Blindman's buff."
Nathless so sore a buff to him it lent
That made him reel.
Spenser.
© Webster 1913.
Buff, a. [Of uncertain etymol.]
Firm; sturdy.
And for the good old cause stood buff,
'Gainst many a bitter kick and cuff.
Hudibras.
© Webster 1913.