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

A stiff, boiled or steamed pudding, often made with dried fruit.

"They served plum duff for dessert after the Sunday roast."

Decaying leaves and plant matter covering the forest floor.

"The hikers' boots sank into the soft duff beneath the pines."

adj

(informal, chiefly British) Broken, worthless, or not working properly.

"The secondhand phone turned out to be duff."

verb

(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 notes

In 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

Word forms

duffer comparative, duffed past tense, duffs plural, duffs plural, duffs plural, Duffs plural, duffs singular, duffest superlative

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They served plum _____ for dessert after the Sunday roast.

Etymology

Representing a northern England and Scots pronunciation of dough.

Synonyms

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plum duff

Rhymes for duff

buff muff ruff tuff cuff puff huff guff stuff bluff gruff fluff

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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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Words that end with F