paffint.n.
/paf/, U.S. /pæf/ A. int.
1. Used to represent the sound of an impact, blow, explosion, etc.: ‘bang!’, ‘pow!’.
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the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sound of blow or fall > [interjection]
swack1673
paff1800
biff1843
plunk1876
pow1881
thunk1952
the world > physical sensation > hearing and noise > degree, kind, or quality of sound > sudden or violent sound > explosive sound > [interjection]
paff1800
voom1964
1800 C. Smith Wild Youth II. iv. 38 I shall fire alarm guns—Piff! Paff! Puff!
1865 Atlantic Monthly Nov. 519 Not too high and not too low, Fire slow! Paff! Now we have it from the Fort, And the Rebels all a-crowing.
a1935 R. Loraine in W. Loraine Robert Loraine (1938) vi. 106 The machine leapt higher,..then—paff!—I came to earth, having stalled and crashed.
1989 William Tell Graphic Novel 34 Paff! I've got you now, scum! Smack!
2. Used as an expression of contempt: ‘nonsense!’, ‘rubbish!’ rare.
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1867 ‘Ouida’ Under Two Flags II. i. 7 Cigarette tossed her nonchalant head, with a pout of her cherry lips, and a slang oath, light as a bird, wicked as a rigolbochade. ‘Paf!—they will tell it to me!’
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses i. iii. [Proteus] 40 What offence laid fire to their brains? Paff!
2002 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 1 Nov. 29 Let the BBC do its worst! I say pif! paf! to their devil's box of tricks! We shall never surrender!
derogatory. Nonsense, piffle. Obsolete. rare.
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1851 H. W. Longfellow Golden Legend v. 242 It often provokes me to laugh To see these beggars..Lamed and maimed, and fed upon chaff, Chaunting their wonderful piff and paff, And, to make up for not understanding the song, Singing it fiercely, and wild, and strong!
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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int.n.1800