• IPA: /kʌf/

cuff (plural cuffs)

1. (obsolete) glove; mitten
2. the end of a shirt sleeve that covers the wrist
3. the end of a pants leg, folded up
4. (informal, plurale tantum) handcuffs

• cufflinks
• turnup
• off-the-cuff

• French: manchette
• German: Manschette
• Italian: polsino
• Portuguese: punho
• Russian: манже́та
• Spanish: puño, ruedo

• Italian: orlo
• Portuguese: barra
• Russian: отворо́т
• Spanish: bajo, vuelta

cuff (cuffs, present participle cuffing; past and past participle cuffed)

1. (transitive) To furnish with cuffs.
2. (transitive) To handcuff.

Germanic cognates include Low German kuffen, German kuffen. More at scuff, shove, scuffle.

cuff (cuffs, present participle cuffing; past and past participle cuffed)

1. (transitive) To hit, as a reproach, particularly with the open palm to the head; to slap.
   • c. 1590–1592, William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: Printed by Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358 ↗, [Act II, scene i]:

     I swear I'll cuff you, if you strike again.

   • They with their quills did all the hurt they could, / And cuffed the tender chickens from their food.

2. (intransitive) To fight; to scuffle; to box.

   • While the peers cuff to make the rabble sport.

3. To buffet.
   • 1855, Alfred Tennyson, “Maud”, in Maud, and Other Poems, London: Edward Moxon, […], OCLC 1013215631 ↗, page 24 ↗:

     cuffed by the gale

• French: gifler, souffleter
• Spanish: abofetear

cuff (plural cuffs)

1. A blow, especially with the open hand; a box; a slap.

   • Snatcheth his sword, and fiercely to him flies; / Who well it wards, and quitten cuff with cuff.

   • many a bitter kick and cuff

cuff (plural cuffs)

1. (Scotland) The scruff of the neck.

1. Surname