bluff
Part of speech: noun
verb
adj
Morphological type: simple
Topics: card-games
poker
Etymology: Probably from Dutch bluffen (“to brag”), from Middle Dutch bluffen (“to make something swell; to bluff”); or from the Dutch noun bluf (“bragging”). Related to German verblüffen (“to stump, perplex”).
Inflected forms:
form: bluffs
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: bluffs
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: bluffing
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: bluffed
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: bluffed
pos: verb
tags: past
form: bluffer
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: bluffest
pos: adj
tags: superlative
Senses:
gloss: An act of bluffing; a false expression of the strength of one’s position in order to intimidate or deceive; braggadocio.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: That is only bluff, or That is only a bluff.
"That's enough," announced Joolby with decision. "You've put up all the bluff you know, Carrados, and we've got you dog-beaten. […]"
gloss: An attempt to represent oneself as holding a stronger hand than one actually does.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: John’s bet was a bluff: he bet without even so much as a pair.
gloss: The card game poker.
pos: noun
tags: US
dated
uncountable
examples: BLUFF OR POKER [title of a chapter]
gloss: One who bluffs; a bluffer.
pos: noun
tags: countable
gloss: Pretense, excuse.
pos: noun
tags: countable
dated
slang
uncountable
gloss: To make a bluff; to give the impression that one’s hand is stronger than it is.
pos: verb
examples: John bluffed by betting without even a pair.
gloss: To frighten, deter, or deceive with a false show of strength or confidence; to give a false impression of strength or temerity in order to intimidate or gain some advantage.
pos: verb
examples: The government claims it will call an election if this bill does not pass. Is it truly ready to do so, or is it bluffing?
gloss: To perform or achieve by bluffing.
pos: verb
examples: We bluffed our way past the guards.
gloss: To give false information intentionally, to lie (to someone), to deceive; to put on an act.
pos: verb
tags: Manglish
Singlish
examples: Vinod, you want to bluff the doctor, your mother, father, uncle, auntie, CMPB all that I don't care. But you cannot bluff me.
gloss: Having a broad, flattened front.
pos: adj
examples: the bluff bows of a ship
gloss: Rising steeply with a flat or rounded front.
pos: adj
examples: a bluff or bold shore
Its banks, if not really steep, had a bluff and precipitous aspect.
gloss: Surly; churlish; gruff; rough.
pos: adj
examples: […] he had a bluff, rough-and-ready face, all roughened and reddened and lined in his long travels.
gloss: Roughly frank and hearty in one's manners.
pos: adj
examples: a bluff answer
a bluff manner of talking
a bluff sea captain
There is indeed a bluff pertinacity which is a proper defence in a moment of surprise.
Derived words: all bluff and bluster
at first bluff
blind man's bluff
bluff catcher
bluff charge
call someone's bluff
counterbluff
double bluff
post oak bluff
quadruple bluff
rebluff
semi-bluff
triple bluff
bluffable
bluffer
bluffingly
bluff out
double-bluff
outbluff
unbluffed
bluff-bowed
bluff-headed
bluffly
bluffness
Translations: