[bʌf], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a yellowish-beige colour
(e.g: a buff envelope)

- a stout dull yellow leather with a velvety surface

- a stick, wheel, or pad used for polishing


Phrases:
- in the buff

Origin:
mid 16th century: probably from French buffle, from Italian bufalo, from late Latin bufalus (see buffalo). The original sense in English was ‘buffalo’, later ‘oxhide’ or ‘colour of oxhide’

[bʌf], (Verb)

Definitions:
- polish (something)
(e.g: he buffed the glass until it gleamed)

- make (an element in a role-playing or video game) more powerful
(e.g: there are cards that'll buff your troops)


Phrases:
- in the buff

Origin:
mid 16th century: probably from French buffle, from Italian bufalo, from late Latin bufalus (see buffalo). The original sense in English was ‘buffalo’, later ‘oxhide’ or ‘colour of oxhide’

[bʌf], (Adjective)

Definitions:
- (of a person or their body) in good physical shape with well-developed muscles
(e.g: the driver was a buff blond named March)


Phrases:
- in the buff

Origin:
mid 16th century: probably from French buffle, from Italian bufalo, from late Latin bufalus (see buffalo). The original sense in English was ‘buffalo’, later ‘oxhide’ or ‘colour of oxhide’

[bʌf], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a person who is enthusiastically interested in and very knowledgeable about a particular subject
(e.g: a computer buff)


Phrases:

Origin:
early 20th century: from buff, originally applied to enthusiastic fire-watchers, because of the buff uniforms formerly worn by New York volunteer firemen