Buff

Buff (bŭf), 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 of 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.

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.

Buff, v. t. To polish with a buff. See Buff, n., 5.

Buff, v. t. [OF. bufer to cuff, buffet. See Buffet a blow.] To strike. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

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.

Buff, a. [Of uncertain etymol.] Firm; sturdy.

And for the good old cause stood buff, 'Gainst many a bitter kick and cuff. Hudibras.