Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense cuffs, present participle cuffing, past tense, past participle cuffed
1. countable noun [usually plural]
The cuffs of a shirt or dress are the parts at the ends of the sleeves, which are thicker than the rest of the sleeve.
...a pale blue shirt with white collar and cuffs.
2. countable noun [usually plural]
The cuffs on a pair of pants or trousers are the parts at the ends of the legs, which are folded up.
[US]
...the cuffs of his jeans. [+ of]
regional note: in BRIT, use turn-up
3. verb
If you cuff someone, you hit them quickly and lightly with your hand, usually on their head or their ear.
Brodie cuffed him on the side of the head. [VERB noun]
Cuff is also a noun.
He gave the dog a cuff.
4. verb
If the police cuff someone, they put handcuffs on them.
[informal]
She hoped they wouldn't cuff her hands behind her back. [VERB noun]
5.
See off the cuff
More Synonyms of cuff
cuff in British English1
(kʌf)
noun
1.
the part of a sleeve nearest the hand, sometimes turned back and decorative
2.
the part of a gauntlet or glove that extends past the wrist
3. US, Canadian and Australian
the turned-up fold at the bottom of some trouser legs
Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): turn-up
4. off the cuff
Word origin
C14 cuffe glove, of obscure origin
cuff in British English2
(kʌf)
verb
1. (transitive)
to strike with an open hand
noun
2.
a blow of this kind
Word origin
C16: of obscure origin
cuff in American English1
(kʌf)
noun
1.
a band or fold at the end of a sleeve, either sewed in or detachable
2.
a turned-up fold at the bottom of a trouser leg
3.
the part of a glove covering the wrist or forearm
4.
a handcuff
usually used in pl.
5.
any of various bandlike or folded parts, as of a shoe or golf bag: esp., the inflatable arm wrap of a sphygmomanometer
verb transitive
6.
to put a cuff or cuffs on
Idioms:
off the cuff
on the cuff
shoot one's cuffs
Word origin
by sense extension < ME cuffe, coffe, hand covering, glove < ? ML cuffia, head covering, parallel with OFr coife: see coif
cuff in American English2
(kʌf)
verb transitive
1.
to strike, esp. with the open hand; slap
verb intransitive
2.
to fight or scuffle
noun
3.
a slap or blow
Word origin
Early ModE < ? cuff1 (in orig. sense “glove”)
Examples of 'cuff' in a sentence
cuff
Fold up the cuffs and collar over the dress.
The Sun (2016)
The ear cuff has been doing the celeb rounds recently.
The Sun (2013)
We had this special stain stick for collars and cuffs.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Just as the cuff is taking over ears and fingers, the wrist cuff is under threat.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Instead, we look upon a bewildered bear dressed incongruously in a white shirt with cuff links.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The little elements, such as turning up a cuff or collar can make all the difference.
The Sun (2015)
Members can also select cuffs, collar and fit details.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
If the full leather look freaks you out, go for flashes of finish on collars or cuffs.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
If a man wears a shirt with cuff links, surely he has to wear a tie as well?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
For earrings or ear cuffs.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Their cuff links were dour.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In an urban situation a man may straighten his tie, brush imaginary dust from his coat or fiddle with his shirt cuff.
Mansfield, Patricia Why Am I Afraid to be Assertive? (1994)
I am on the lookout for an ear cuff, but have been hampered by a low budget.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Show a little but not too much shirt cuff - it looks weird if you don't.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
There's no point investing in an ear cuff if it can't be seen.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
If you're buying her ear candy, make it a cuff.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
He turned one over with his foot: the coat collar and cuffs were all white, the pockets cut in the upright.
Iain Gale Man of Honour (2007)
Word lists with
cuff
parts of clothes, parts of clothing
In other languages
cuff
British English: cuff NOUN
The cuffs of a shirt or dress are the parts at the ends of the sleeves, which are thicker than the rest of the sleeve.
...a pale blue shirt with white collar and cuffs.
American English: cuff
Brazilian Portuguese: punho
Chinese: 袖口
European Spanish: puño
French: manchette
German: Manschette
Italian: polsino
Japanese: そで口
Korean: 소맷단
European Portuguese: punho
Latin American Spanish: puño
All related terms of 'cuff'
cuff link
one of a pair of linked buttons , used to join the buttonholes on the cuffs of a shirt
cuff button
the button for a shirt cuff
French cuff
a double cuff formed by a backward fold of the material
rotator cuff
the structure around the shoulder joint consisting of the capsule of the joint along with the tendons of the adjacent muscles
off the cuff
An off-the-cuff remark is made without being prepared or thought about in advance.
on the cuff
on credit
cufflink
Cufflinks are small decorative objects used for holding together shirt cuffs around the wrist .
blood pressure cuff
A blood pressure cuff is a medical device consisting of a piece of rubber or similar material that is wrapped around a patient's arm and then inflated in order to measure their blood pressure.
Chinese translation of 'cuff'
cuff
(kʌf)
n(c)
[of sleeve]袖口 (xiùkǒu)
(US)[of trousers]翻边(邊) (fānbiān)
英 = turn-up
(= blow) 轻(輕)轻(輕)的一拍 (qīngqīng de yī pāi)
vt
(= hit) 用掌轻(輕)拍 (yòng zhǎng qīngpāi)
off the cuff未经(經)准(準)备(備) (wèi jīng zhǔnbèi)
idiom
See off the cuff
(verb)
Definition
to strike with an open hand
She cuffed him playfully around the ear.
Synonyms
smack
She smacked me on the side of the head.
hit
She hit him hard across his left arm.
thump
He thumped me, nearly knocking me over.
punch
After punching him on the chin, she hit him over the head.
box
They slapped my face and boxed my ears.
knock
He was mucking around and he knocked her in the stomach.
bat (informal)
belt (informal)
Is it true that she belted George in the stomach?
slap
My yoga instructor turned up and slapped me on the shoulder.
clap
He clapped me on the back and boomed, `Well done.'
clout (informal)
The officer clouted him on the head.
whack
Someone whacked him on the head.
biff (slang)
clobber (slang)
(noun)
Definition
a blow with an open hand
He gave Billy a cuff.
Synonyms
smack
I end up shouting at him or giving him a smack.
blow
He went off to hospital after a blow to the face.
knock
He had taken a knock on the head in training.
punch
He's asking for a punch on the nose.
thump
He felt a thump on his shoulder.
box
She gave him a playful box on the ears.
belt (informal)
He gave me a belt over the head with a scrubbing brush.
rap
There was a light rap on the door.
slap
He reached forward and gave me a slap.
clout (informal)
I was half tempted to give them a clout myself.
whack
He gave the tree trunk a whack with the axe.
biff (slang)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bat
Definition
to strike with or as if with a bat
Synonyms
hit,
strike,
punch,
bang,
rap,
smack,
thump,
whack,
wallop (informal),
swat
in the sense of belt
Definition
to give (someone) a sharp blow
Is it true that she belted George in the stomach?
Synonyms
strike,
beat,
punch,
deck (slang),
bang,
bash (informal),
sock (slang),
smack,
thump,
clout (informal),
whack,
thud,
clobber (slang),
wallop (informal),
thwack,
lay one on (slang),
beat or knock seven bells out of (informal)
in the sense of belt
Definition
a sharp blow
He gave me a belt over the head with a scrubbing brush.