buffer-block 
the draw-bar, to keep the cars from coming 
together if the draw-bar gives way. 2. The 
flat head of a buffer-bar. See cut under buffer 9 . 
Also called buffing-block. 
buffer-head (buf'er-hed), . Same as buffer- 
block, '2. 
buffer-spring (bnf'er-spring), n. Aspringwhich 
gives elasticity to a buffer, so as to lessen the 
shock of collision. Also called buffing-sprimj. 
See cut under buffer 3 Auxiliary buffer-spring, 
in railroad-cars, a spring secured behind a draw-spring, to 
resist more strongly the pressure on the draw-bar in butl- 
buffet 1 (buf'et), n. [< ME. buffet, boffet, bofet 
(= Icel. buffeit), < OF. buffet, bufat (= It. buf- 
feto, formerly buffetto, boffetto; of. Sp.Pg. bofe- 
tada), a blow, < buffe, biife, a blow: see buff'*.'] 
1. A blow with the fist; a box; a cuff; a slap; 
hence, hard usage of any kind suggestive of 
blows; a violent shock or concussion : as, "for- 
tune's buffets," Shak., Hamlet, iii. 2. 
The kynge redressed hym and yaf hym soche a buffet vpon 
the lefte temple that the Mode braste out* of mouthe and 
nose. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), iii. 391. 
For God's sake, sir, be merry, or else bear 
The buffets of your fortune with more scorn ! 
Beau, and Fl., Honest Man's Fortune, iv. 1. 
We get ... many a buffet of the rough water of experi- 
ence, before we secure the bare right to live. 
Lowell, Fireside Travels, p. 138. 
2f. A blast of wind. 
Thay blwe a buffet in blaude that banned peple. 
Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), ii. 885. 
buffet 1 (buf'et), v. ; pret. and pp. buffeted, ppr. 
buffeting. [< ME. buffetcn, bofeten = Icel. buf- 
feita (of. Sp. bofetear, abofetear, Pg. bofetear = 
It. buffetare, boffettegiure Florio), buffet ; from 
the noun.] I. trans. 1. To strike with the hand 
or fist ; box ; beat. 
Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him ; and 
others smote him with the palms of their hands. 
Mat. xxvi. 07. 
2. To beat in contention ; contend against as 
if with blows : as, to buffet the billows. 
The torrent roar'd ; and we did btt/et it 
With lusty sinews ; throwing it aside 
And stemming it with hearts of controversy. 
Shah., J. C., i. 2. 
II. intrans. To exercise at boxing ; box ; con- 
tend with blows of the fists; hence, to force 
one's way by buffeting. 
If I might bu/et for my love, ... I could lay on like a 
butcher. Shak., Hen. V., v. 2. 
I caught her ; then 
Oaring one arm, and bearing in my left 
The weight of all the hopes of half the world, 
Strove to buffet to land in vain. Tennyson, Princess, iv. 
buffet 2 (buf'et, or, as P., bii-fa'), n. [Sometimes 
erroneously written beaufet (simulating F. bean, 
fine a notion present, in another form, in the 
orig. use), < ME. buffitt, buffit, boffet, bofet (in 
def. 4, and comp. buffet-stool, q. y.) = D. G. 
Dan. Sw. buffet = Buss, bufetu, a sideboard, = 
Sp. Pg. bufete, a desk, writing-table, Pg. also 
a sideboard, < F. buffet, a sideboard, a cup- 
board, in older F. esp. of an elegant or costly 
kind, "a court cupboord, or high-standing cup- 
boord, also a cupboord of plate, also as much 
plate as will furnish a cupboord" (Cotgrave), 
also a desk or writing-table, < It. buffetto, for- 
merly also boffetto, a cupboard, sideboard, buf- 
fet (ML. bufetum, a buffet, cf. buffetiis, a coun- 
cil; cf. bureau in similar senses), appar. so 
called from its elegance, being = OF. bufoi, 
buffois, sumptuousness, show, pomp, fine equi- 
page, < bufer, buffer (= It. buffarv, etc.), puff, 
blow: see buff 2 , and cf. buffetl.'] 1. A cupboard, 
sideboard, or closet, designed to hold china, 
crystal, plate, and other like articles. 2. The 
space set apart for refreshments in public 
places. 3. That part of the cabinet-work of 
an organ which incloses the pipes. 4. Same 
as buffet-stool. Wrigli t, Prov. Diet. [Prov.Eng.] 
buffeter (buf'et-er), . One who buffets or 
strikes with the hand or fist ; a boxer. 
buffeting (buf'et-ing), n. [Verbal n. of buffet*, 
.] A beating; a blow; a buffet. 
He had withstood these buffeting* to the last till sick- 
ness overtook him. Sterne, Tristram Shandy, vi. 13. 
buffet-Stool (buf'et-stol), n. [< ME. buffett 
stole, bofet stole, also simply buffit, bofet (see 
buffet*, 4) ; < buffet* + stool.'] ' A stool with 
either four or three legs, formerly used in con- 
nection with the buffet or sideboard, and often 
serving as a table or sideboard among poor 
people. Forby. 
buffiet, n. Same as buff. Florio. 
buffint (buf 'in), a. and n. [Early mod. E., ap- 
par. for "buffen, < buffi + _ efl 2.] I. a . 1. Of 
buff. 
Bu/aliiui [It.], of buffe, bu/in. Florin. 
710 
2. Made of buffin: as, "bitffin gowns," Mas- 
Hinr/cr, City Madam, iv. 4. 
II. . A coarse cloth in use in the time of 
Elizabeth and James I. 
Grograms, broad or narrow, called JSufinea, poize 
(weigh] 4 Ibs. one with another. 
l.inixdowne MS., 1502. (Draper's Diet.) 
buffing (buf'ing), n. [< buffi + -ingl.~] The 
operation of diminishing the thickness of a hide 
by means of a curriers' knife or a splitting- 
machine, for the purpose of increasing the sup- 
pleness of the leather; hence, the layer so 
shaved off ; the amount of lessening effected. 
When about one-third tanned, the hides are removed 
from the tanning liquor and a b\iffi.ng is taken off of each 
hide. C. T. Davis, Leather, p. 586. 
buffing-block (buf'ing-blok), 11. Same as buff- 
er-block. 
buffing-lathe (buf 'ing-laTH), n. A lathe in 
which metal plates are polished. The buffer 
may be of leather, cotton, or other material, 
and is used with various polishing-powders. 
buffing-machine (buf 'ing-ma-snen"), n. A 
machine used for buffing or polishing. 
buffing-spring (buf'ing-spring), n. Same as 
buffer-spring. 
buffing-wheel (buf'ing-hwel), n. Same as buff- 
wheel. 
buff-jerkin (buf'jer"kin), u. 1. A garment for- 
merly worn under the corselet, and made of buff- 
leather, whence its name. It took the place 
of the acton and gambeson. 2. A waistcoat 
made of buff-leather; hence, a waistcoat made 
of cloth of a buff color. It seems to have been con- 
sidered the peculiar mark of constables and other officers 
of the law. 
Fighting ! what's fighting ? it may be in fashion 
Among provant swords, and buff-jerkin men. 
Fletcher (and another), Elder Brother, v. 1. 
buff-laced (buf 'last), a. In poultry- and pigeon- 
breeding, having the feathers laced or edged 
with buff: said of birds of which the color is a 
rich buff, each feather being distinctly laced 
with pale buff, as in the case of buff-laced Po- 
lish fowls, or of birds of which the color is pale 
buff, each feather being laced with dark buff. 
buffie 1 (buf'l), n. [< F. buffe, a buffalo.] 1. 
A buffalo. 2. A duck, Bucepkala albeola, abun- 
dant in North America. It has a short blue bill and 
a head the apparent size of which is greatly increased liy 
Ruffle (Ritcfphala albeola}. 
the fullness of its feathers. The male is chiefly black 
above and white l>elow, the head l>eing iridescent-black 
with a large white occipital space. Also called &/#<-/'"</. 
bujfte-duck, bujtle-headed duck, tipirit-duck, dipper, and but- 
terball. Also spelled buffet. 
buffle'- 3 (buf'l), v. [Freq. of buff 2 , stammer: see 
buff 2 .~\ I. intranx. 1. To speak thickly or in- 
articulately. [Prov. Eng.] 2f. To be puz- 
zled ; be at a loss. Swift. 
II. trans. To handle clumsily. 
buff-leather (buf 'leaner), n. Same as buffi, 2. 
buffle-duck (buf'1-duk), n. Same as bufflel, 2. 
buffie-head (buf '1-hed), n. If. One wno has a 
large- or stupid head, like a buffalo's. 
What makes you stare so, baffle-head ? 
1'tautiis (trans.), 1694. 
2. Same as bufflel, 2. 
buffle-headedt (bra'l-hed'ed), a. Having a 
large head, like a buffalo's ; dull ; stupid ; fool- 
ish. Gayton, Notes on Don Quixote, III. 3. 
buffle-hofn (buf '1-horn), H. The common name 
in South Africa of the BurclieUia Capensis, on 
account of the hardness and toughness of the 
wood. It is a rubiaeeous shrub, with handsome (lowers, 
sometimes cultivated in hothouses. 
buffle-wood (buf '1-wud), w. Same as buffle-norn. 
buffo (buf '6), H. [It., a comic actor, also a puff, 
whiff, < buffare, puff, rally, mock: see buff 2 , buf- 
foon.'] The comic actor in an opera; a comic 
singer. 
bufoniform 
buffon, . Same as biiffont. 
buffontt, [< F. bouffant (cf. "bnuffunfn [sic], 
puffs in a garment" Cotgrave), ppr. of bmif- 
fer, puff out: see buff' 2 , buffetl.] A projecting 
or puffed-out covering of gauze or linen for the 
breast, much worn by women about the middle 
of the eighteenth century. 
buffoon (bu-fon'), n. and . [< F. bouffon, < 
It. buffone (= Sp. bufon = Pg. bufSo), a jester, 
< buffa (= Sp. bufa), a jest, mocking, connect- 
ed with buffare (= Pr. Sp. Pg. bufar= F. bouf- 
fer), puff, blow: see buff*, buffetl.] I. n. One 
who makes a practice of amusing others by 
tricks, odd gestures and postures, jokes, and 
other vulgar pleasantries ; a droll ; a merry- 
andrew ; a clown ; a jester. 
The scurril talk of buffoons, pleasants, and jesters. 
Holland, tr. of Plutarch, p. 487. 
Buffoons that have a talent of mimicking the speech 
and behaviour of other persons. Tatter, No. 268. 
= Syn. Seez. 
II. a. Characteristic of a buffoon ; buffoonish. 
Neither buffoon nor contemptible. Lamb, Old Actors. 
Buffoon stories. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xiv. 
buffoon (bu-fon'), v. [< buffoon, .] I. iutriinn. 
To act the part of a buffoon. Dryden. [Rare.] 
II. trans. To make ridiculous. [Bare.] 
Religion . . . despised, buffooned, exposed as ridiculous. 
Glanville, Sermons, ix. 343. 
Went to see the Duke of Buckingham's ridiculous farce 
and rhapsody, called " The Recital," buffooniny all plays, 
yet prophane enough. Evelyn, Diary, Dec. 14, 1671. 
buffoonery (bu-fon 'er-i), n.; pi. buffooneries 
(-iz). [< buffoon + -cry, after F. bouffonncrie.] 
The art and practices of a buffoon; low jests; 
ridiculous pranks ; vulgar tricks and postures. 
No merit was secure, no person free 
From its licentious buffoonery. 
Oldhant, Horace's Art of Poetry. 
buffoonish (bu-fon'ish), a. [< buffoon + -M 1 .] 
Like a buffoon ; consisting in buffoonery. Blair. 
buffoonism (bu-fon'izm), n. [< buffoon + -ism.'} 
The practices of a buffoon ; buffoonery, 
buffoonizet (bu-fon'iz), v. t. [< buffoon + -ize.~] 
To jest. MinsJieu, 1617. 
buffoonly (bu-fon'li), a. [< buffoon + -fyi.] 
Buffoonish. [Rare.] 
Apish tricks and buffoonly discourse. 
J. Goodman, Winter Eve. Conference, 1. 
buffo-singer (buf'6-sing"er), n. A singer of 
comic songs in opera bouffe; a buffo. 
buff-stick (buf'stik), n. A piece of stick cov- 
ered with leather, velvet, velveteen, or other 
material, and charged with emery or other pow- 
der, used in polishing. 
buff-tip (buf 'tip), n. 1. A name of a Japa- 
nese shrike, Lanius bucephalus, so called be- 
cause of a buff patch on the wing. 2. A name 
of a moth similarly marked. 
buffum (buf'um), . [Origin obscure.] A mix- 
ture of several inferior kinds of oil, used as an 
adulterant of linseed-oil. Encyc. Brit. [Eng.] 
buff-ware (buf'war), n. In ceram.. a stone- 
ware made in Staffordshire, England, from the 
clay and other ingredients found there, and not 
decorated. The name is derived from the natural color 
of the clay when fired. 
buff-wheel (buf'hwel), n. A wheel of wood, 
glue, leather, light fabrics, or other material, 
used with emery, rouge, or other powders in 
polishing glass and metals. Also called buffer 
and buffi nq-icheel. 
buffy (buf'i), a. [< buffi + .,,1.] Buff-colored; 
pertaining to buff on the blood Buffy coat, the 
coat of fibrin free from red blood-corpuscles on the upper 
surface of a blood-clot, which is formed when the coagu- 
lation is delayed until after the corpuscles have sunk so 
as to leave the upper layers of the blood. 
Bufo (bu'fo), w. [L., a toad.] A genus of 
tailless amphibians, typical of the family Bu- 
fonMce, and embracing the common toads of 
Europe and North America. See cut under 
agua-toad. 
bufonid (bu'fo-nid), . An amphibian of the 
family Bufonidce. 
Bufonidse (bu-fpn'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Bufo(n-) 
+ -ida>.~\ A f amily of arcif erous salient amphibi- 
ans, typified by the genus Bufo, without max- 
illary teeth and with dilated sacral vertebrae 
and a broad flat tongue, free behind ; the toads. 
The body and limbs are thick, heavy, and clumsy, anil the 
skin is warty or rugose. The species are less aquatic than 
frogs, not arboreal like tree-toads, and much less agile. 
About 100 species art- known. See cut under atnta-toad. 
bufoniform (bu-fon'i-form), a. [< L. bufo(n-), 
a toad, + forma, shape.] Having the form of 
a toad ; resembling a toad ; bufonoid ; specifi- 
cally, of or pertaining to the Bufoniformia: 
contrasted with ra inform. 
