muff

¹muff

noun \ˈməf\

Definition of MUFF

: a warm tubular covering for the hands

Illustration of MUFF

Origin of MUFF

Dutch mof, from Middle French moufle mitten, from Medieval Latin muffula

First Known Use: 1599

Rhymes with MUFF

bluff, buff, chough, chuff, cuff, duff, fluff, gruff, guff, huff, luff, puff, rough, ruff, scruff, scuff, slough, snuff, sough, stuff, tough, tuff

²muff

verb

Definition of MUFF

transitive verb

1

: to handle awkwardly

2

: to fail to hold (a ball) when attempting a catch

intransitive verb

1

: to act or do something stupidly or clumsily

2

: to muff a ball — compare fumble

Examples of MUFF

1. He muffed his chance for a promotion.
2. The outfielder muffed an easy catch.

Illustration of MUFF

Origin of MUFF

probably from ¹muff

First Known Use: 1846

Related to MUFF

Synonyms

blow, bobble, boggle, bollix (up), boot, bugger (up), bumble, bungle, butcher, dub, flub, fluff, foozle, foul up, fumble, goof (up), louse up, mangle, mess (up), muck up, botch, murder, screw up

Related Words

blunder, gum (up), muddle, piffle; blemish, blight, damage, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, injure, mar, mutilate, ruin, spoil, vitiate; destroy, wreck; mishandle, mismanage

Near Antonyms

ameliorate, better, enhance, help, improve, meliorate, rectify, refine, reform, remedy; doctor, fix, patch, recondition, renovate, repair, revamp

³muff

noun

Definition of MUFF

1

: a bungling performance

2

: a failure to hold a ball in attempting a catch

First Known Use of MUFF

1868