fluff

noun

/flʌf/

[uncountable]

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(also lint)
small pieces of wool, cotton, etc. that gather on clothes and other surfaces
- This sweater is covered in fluff.
soft animal fur or bird feathers, found especially on young animals or birds
- The baby birds were still covered in fluff.
Topics Animalsc2
(informal, especially North American English) entertainment that is not serious and is not considered to have great value

Word Originlate 18th cent.: probably a dialect alteration of 16th-cent. flue ‘down, nap, fluff’, apparently from Flemish vluwe.

verb

/flʌf/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they fluff	/flʌf/ /flʌf/
he / she / it fluffs	/flʌfs/ /flʌfs/
past simple fluffed	/flʌft/ /flʌft/
past participle fluffed	/flʌft/ /flʌft/
-ing form fluffing	/ˈflʌfɪŋ/ /ˈflʌfɪŋ/

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fluff something (informal) to do something badly or to fail at something synonym bungle
- He completely fluffed an easy shot (= in sport).
- Most actors fluff their lines occasionally.
Topics Difficulty and failurec2
fluff something (out/up) to shake or brush something so that it looks larger and/or softer
- The female sat on the eggs, fluffing out her feathers.
- Let me fluff up your pillows for you.

Word Originlate 18th cent.: probably a dialect alteration of 16th-cent. flue ‘down, nap, fluff’, apparently from Flemish vluwe.