guff

American  

[guhff] / gʌff /

noun

Informal.

1. empty or foolish talk; nonsense.

2. insolent talk.

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guff British  

/ ɡʌf /

noun

1. slang ridiculous or insolent talk

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Etymology

Origin of guff

First recorded in 1815–25; perhaps imitative

Explanation

Guff is foolishness — it's when you behave or speak in an meaningless or objectionable way. You might dismiss a controversial article by calling it a bunch of guff. Sometimes guff is defined as "lies," but it can also be simply ridiculous ideas or speech. Your teacher might dismiss your excuse for being late to class by saying, "That story's just a bunch of guff!" The informal guff gets its sense of "empty talk" from its original meaning, "puff of air." An unrelated but interesting kind of guff is the Scottish meaning, "an unpleasant smell."

Example Sentences

And local officers still take some guff during tense encounters between ICE officers and protesters.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

At the beginning of the film, she is obedient and obliging and corseted; by the end, she is in a much smaller skirt and taking no guff.

From New York Times • Mar. 7, 2024

Kaplan is “the worst possible draw for Trump” because he’s “really smart and takes no guff from either side,” veteran white-collar criminal defense lawyer Robert Katzberg told the Post.

From Salon • Jan. 22, 2024

It is tempting to dismiss this kind of label as typically meaningless Westminster guff.

From BBC • Oct. 10, 2023

‘I suppose you don’t believe all that guff about souls and ghosts and everything, do you?’

From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill