fluff v.1
1. to disconcert or put off a public speaker.
![[UK]](/static/img/flags/uk.png "United Kingdom") | Sl. and Its Analogues. | |
![[US]](/static/img/flags/us.png "United States") | ‘Misc.’ in AS XXXIII:3 225: When someone puts you down he criticizes you unfavorably, he fluffs you. |
2. (orig. theatre) to make a mistake, to bungle.
| Era (London) 27 Feb. 14/5: Launay's description of the way in whiab he came to undertake his errand should have been recounted with the polished lightness of an aristocratic Frenchman; it was simply ‘fluffed’ sloppily. | |
| Sl. and Its Analogues. | |
| Sheffield Wkly Teleg. 24 Mar. 16/1: He fluffed and fluffed, but managed to struggle through the speech somehow. | |
| ‘Extricating Young Gussie’ in Man with Two Left Feet 38: I never knew when I might fluff my lines. | |
| Carry on, Jeeves 196: He fluffed in his lines [...] just stood there saying nothing. | |
| Yorks. Post 29 Feb. 9/5: [headline] A Leeds Actor who 'Fluffed'. | |
| Burnley Exp. 12 Jan. 4/3: Clarke and McLaren both 'fluffed' possible chances through over-eagerness. | |
| Savage Night (1991) 19: He knew I wouldn’t fluff the job. | |
 | We Think the World of You (1971) 107: I expect he thought you’d fluff. | |
| Awopbop. (1970) 244: I fluffed completely. | |
![[Aus]](/static/img/flags/aus.png "Australia") | in Living Black 35: Okay, she fluffed that chance. | |
| Viz Oct./Nov. 2: Sorry Tom. I fluffed the punchline. | |
| Indep. on Sun. Culture 13 June 8: Kay had to restart [...] after fluffing the lyrics. | |
| Observer Rev. 28 May 16: An appearance on the US soap General Hospital saw her fluffing her lines. | |
| Sucked In 113: Hear my lines [...] I was fluffing big time at the walk-through. |
3. (Aus.) to talk superficial nonsense, thus fluffer, a superficial chatterer.
| Lone Hand May 80: You’ll be amazed to find what drivel the Judge can talk, and listen to. [...] He loves ‘fluff’ off the Bench... [He] told my husband that if he had found a woman who could fluff smartlyhe would ask her to marry him...Yes, wouldn’t she be a lucky fluffer. |
4. to bluff, to lie.
| Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era 134/2: Fluff in (Lower Peoples’). Deceive by smooth modes. | |
| (con. WWI) Soldier and Sailor Words 96: Fluff, To: To brag. to boast. To lie. | |
| Cowboy and His Interpreters 218: A dishpanful o’ something that smelled so much like peace an’ joy that even Ebenezer quits fluffin’ about bein’ asleep. |
In phrases
to deceive by smooth talk.
| Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era. |
a failure.
| Sl. and Its Analogues. |
SE in slang uses
In phrases
(N.Z.) to waste time, to mess about.
| ‘Tasma’ In her Earliest Youth II 178: No! I like to get you a bit excited, though [...] There—now—don’t you fluff! Everything’s as right as the bank, I tell you. | |
![[NZ]](/static/img/flags/nz.png "New Zealand") | Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl. 80: fluff about Dither instead of getting the job done. |
(US gay) to make the penis erect prior to appearing on the street in tight trousers.
| Queens’ Vernacular 83: fluff it up 1. to work up an erection. |
see separate entries.
1. (US drugs) to adulterate a drug to bulk it out.
| Heroin in Perspective 201: Fluff. To chop up dope (usually heroin or cocaine); to make it bulkier and more even in consistency. |
2. to get drunk, to become intoxicated by drugs.
| Powder 457: Sort this cunt out, will you! Just fluff him up! |
In exclamations
see separate entry.