noun
Uncommon
duff
duhf
Duff (noun) means a stiff, boiled or steamed pudding, often made with dried fruit. Example: “They served plum duff for dessert after the Sunday roast.”
noun
1
A stiff, boiled or steamed pudding, often made with dried fruit.
"They served plum duff for dessert after the Sunday roast."
2
Decaying leaves and plant matter covering the forest floor.
"The hikers' boots sank into the soft duff beneath the pines."
adj
1
(informal, chiefly British) Broken, worthless, or not working properly.
"The secondhand phone turned out to be duff."
verb
1
(golf, informal) To mishit a shot by striking the ground behind the ball.
"He duffed his approach shot into the rough."
How to use duff
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDepending on context: a boiled fruit pudding, forest-floor litter, something broken or fake (British slang), or a bad golf shot.
When to use it
The "broken/fake" and golf senses are informal, mainly British and Commonwealth usage.
Common pairings
plum duff
duff information
duff a shot
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Word forms
- Plural
- duffs
- Third person singular
- duffs
- Past tense
- duffed
- Comparative
- duffer
- Superlative
- duffest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They served plum _____ for dessert after the Sunday roast.
Etymology
Represents a northern England and Scots pronunciation of dough.
Synonyms
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plum duff
bum
Related words
Rhymes for duff
See all rhymes for duff →Frequently asked questions
What does “duff” mean?
The word “duff” means a stiff, boiled or steamed pudding, often made with dried fruit. In plain terms, depending on context: a boiled fruit pudding, forest-floor litter, something broken or fake (British slang), or a bad golf shot.
How do you pronounce “duff”?
“Duff” is pronounced duhf (/dʌf/ in IPA).
How do you use “duff” in a sentence?
Here is “duff” used in a sentence: “They served plum duff for dessert after the Sunday roast.”
What part of speech is “duff”?
Depending on how it is used, “duff” can be a noun, an adjective and a verb.
Is “duff” a common word?
“Duff” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “duff” have?
“Duff” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a stiff, boiled or steamed pudding, often made with dried fruit.
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