Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. annoyed, disgruntled.

1851

S. Wales General Advertiser 29 Nov. 2/6: After his return from Balmoral, having been met in Parliament and chuffed (excuse the slang, but 1 know no word so appropriate) about the miserable state of affairs in Africa.

2. (orig. milit.) very pleased, delighted, happy; often dead chuffed or ext. to chuffed to fuck, chuffed to arseholes, chuffed to buggery etc.

1956		Aberdeen Eve. Exp. 6 Nov. 12/3: Asked how things were going then, he replied: ‘The c.o. was chuffed (happy) as hell about everything’.
1958		C. Lee diary 4 July in Eight Bells & Top Masts (2001) 131: I’m not sure why everyone’s so chuffed. I mean, it’s only crossing the equator.
1959		F. Norman in Encounter Mar. in Norman’s London (1969) 74: Magazines or no magazines, I was very chuft to have it away a bit lively.
1963		C. Wood ‘Prisoner and Escort’ in Cockade (1965) I ii: He was no doubt highly chuffed.
1970		A. Sillitoe Start in Life (1979) 151: He was still so chuffed at having made the bloody and ragged break from his former life.
1974–5		B. Humphries Barry McKenzie [comic strip] in Complete Barry McKenzie (1988) 119: I’m so chuffed you and my adorable Prendergasts like each other, Barry.
1984		S. Caudwell Shortest Way to Hades (1986) 80: Oh, like a shot – chuffed as chocolate about it.
1989		R.G. Barratt ‘So Why Doesn’t Jack the Lad Get a Real Job?’ in What Do You Reckon (1997) [ebook] To say I was chuffed would be the understatement of the year.
1990		R. Malan My Traitor’s Heart (1991) 280: I was so chuffed that I gave them my beloved cassette tape of Fosatu Worker Choruses.
1998		P. McCabe Breakfast on Pluto 107: Was I chuffed when he said that. How much I cannot tell you, because it meant so much to me too.
1999		K. Sampson Powder 257: I’m sure she’d be chuffed to bits to hear you say it.
1999		R.G. Barrett Wind & Monkey (2013) [ebook] ‘Twenty grand. Not bad for a quick trip into Newcastle.’ ‘Not bad at all.’ Les was chuffed. ‘Thanks Eddie’.
2005		B. Hare Urban Grimshaw 214: They were really chuffed to hear that I’d kept out of trouble.
2012		(con. 1980s) I. Welsh Skagboys 45: So ah’m left on ma tod, but ah’m quite chuffed aboot it.
2017		V. McDermid Insidious Intent (2018) 210: ‘Eloise and me, we were really chuffed’.
2020		G. Armstrong Young Team 18: We [...] probably look chuffed as fuck.