Library / English Dictionary

FLUFF

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A blunder (especially an actor's forgetting the lines)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("fluff" is a kind of...):

bloomer; blooper; blunder; boner; boo-boo; botch; bungle; flub; foul-up; fuckup; pratfall (an embarrassing mistake)

Derivation:

fluff (make a mess of, destroy or ruin)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Something of little value or significance

Synonyms:

bagatelle; fluff; frippery; frivolity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("fluff" is a kind of...):

small beer; trifle; trivia; triviality (something of small importance)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Any light downy material

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Hypernyms ("fluff" is a kind of...):

material; stuff (the tangible substance that goes into the makeup of a physical object)

Derivation:

fluffy (like down or as soft as down)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Ruffle (one's hair) by combing the ends towards the scalp, for a full effect

Synonyms:

fluff; tease

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "fluff" is one way to...):

comb; comb out; disentangle (smoothen and neaten with or as with a comb)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sentence example:

They fluff their hair

Sense 2

Meaning:

Erect or fluff up

Example:

the bird ruffled its feathers

Synonyms:

fluff; ruffle

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "fluff" is one way to...):

loosen (make less dense)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Also:

fluff up (make fuller by shaking)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make a mess of, destroy or ruin

Example:

the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement

Synonyms:

ball up; blow; bobble; bodge; bollix; bollix up; bollocks; bollocks up; botch; botch up; bumble; bungle; flub; fluff; foul up; fuck up; fumble; louse up; mess up; mishandle; muck up; muff; screw up; spoil

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "fluff" is one way to...):

fail; go wrong; miscarry (be unsuccessful)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

fluff (a blunder (especially an actor's forgetting the lines))

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