muff

American  

[muhf] / mʌf /

noun

1. a thick, tubular case for the hands, covered with fur or other material, used by women and girls for warmth and as a handbag.

2. a bungled or clumsy action or performance.

3. Sports. a failure to hold onto a ball that may reasonably be expected to be caught successfully.

4. a tuft of feathers on the sides of the head of certain fowls.

5. Slang: Vulgar. a woman's pubic area.

6. muff glass

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verb (used with object)

1. Informal. to bungle; handle clumsily.

   He muffed a good opportunity.

2. Sports. to fail to hold onto (a ball that may reasonably be expected to be caught successfully); fumble.

verb (used without object)

1. Informal. to bungle; perform clumsily.

muff ¹ British  

/ mʌf /

verb

1. to perform (an action) awkwardly

2. (tr) to bungle (a shot, catch, etc) in a game

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noun

1. any unskilful play in a game, esp a dropped catch

2. any clumsy or bungled action

3. a bungler

muff ² British  

/ mʌf /

noun

1. an open-ended cylinder of fur or cloth into which the hands are placed for warmth

2. the tuft on either side of the head of certain fowls

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Other Word Forms

• muffy adjective

Etymology

Origin of muff

1590–1600; < Dutch mof, earlier moffel, muffel mitten, muff < Old North French moufle < early Medieval Latin muffula, perhaps < Frankish

Related Words

• botch
• flub
• fumble
• mishandle