gaff

Use gaff in a sentence

An antique gaff.

noun

The definition of a gaff is a pole with a hook.
A stick with a spear on the end that you use to catch a fish by thrusting it down quickly into the fish is an example of a gaff.

verb

To gaff is defined as to capture or impale using a stick with a hook or spear on the end.
When you stab and catch a fish using a stick with a spear on the end, this is an example of when you gaff the fish.

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"gaff." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/GAFF>.

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gaff. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/GAFF

gaff

a large, strong hook on a pole, or a barbed spear, used in landing large fish
1. a sharp metal spur fastened to the leg of a gamecock
2. any of the steel points on a lineman's climbing iron
1. a spar or pole extending from the after side of a mast and supporting a fore-and-aft sail
2. U.S. Navy a similarly located spar on the mainmast, from which the ensign is flown when a ship is underway
Slang any secret device for cheating
Origin of gaff
earlier in sense of “a fair”: ? because visitors were gaffed there
Brit., Slang a cheap theater, dance hall, etc.

Origin of gaff

Middle English gaffe from Old French from Old Provençal gaf or Spanish gafa from Gothic gafah, a catch from ga-, intensive + fahan, to catch, akin to fang

to strike or land (a fish) with a gaff
Chiefly Brit., Slang to cheat; hoax; trick
Slang, Naut. to rig with a gaff

gaff Idioms

stand the gaff

Slang to bear up well under difficulties, punishment, ridicule, etc.; be game

foolish talk; nonsense

Origin of gaff

probably altered from earlier gab, mockery from ME, deceit: see gab

gaff Idioms

blow the gaff

to reveal a secret

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"gaff." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/GAFF>.

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gaff. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/GAFF

gaff

noun

A large iron hook attached to a pole or handle and used to land large fish.
Nautical A spar attached to a mast and used to extend the upper edge of a fore-and-aft sail.
a. A sharp metal spur or spike fastened to the leg of a gamecock.
b. A climbing hook used by telephone and electric line workers.
Slang A trick or gimmick, especially one used in a swindle or to rig a game.
A tight-fitting undergarment designed to secure the male genitals between the legs and create the appearance of a smooth crotch.
Slang Harshness of treatment; abuse.

transitive verb

gaffed, gaf·fing, gaffs

To hook or land (a fish) using a gaff.
To equip (a gamecock) with a gaff.
Slang
a. To take in or defraud; swindle.
b. To rig or fix in order to cheat: knew that the carnival games had been gaffed.

Origin of gaff

Middle English gaffe from Old French from Old Provençal gaf from gafar to seize of Germanic origin ; see kap- in Indo-European roots. Noun, senses 4 and 5, and verb, senses 3a and 3b, probably from the spurred, ink-filled rings used by card sharpers to secretly mark cards

gaff¹

noun

Chiefly British

A public place of entertainment, especially a cheap or disreputable music hall or theater.
Slang A house, building, or apartment, especially where one resides.

Origin of gaff

Origin unknown

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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"gaff." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/GAFF>.

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gaff. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/GAFF

Noun

(plural gaffs)

A tool consisting of a large metal hook with a handle or pole, especially the one used to pull large fish aboard a boat.
A minor error or faux pas.
We politely ignored his gaff.
A trick or con.
The sideshow feat was a just a gaff, but the audience was too proud to admit they'd been fooled.
(UK, slang) A place of residence.
We're going round to Mike's gaff later to watch the footie.
(nautical) The upper spar used to control a gaff-rigged sail.
A garment worn to hide the genitals by male transvestites.

Verb

(third-person singular simple present gaffs, present participle gaffing, simple past and past participle gaffed)

To use a gaff, especially to land a fish.
To cheat or hoax

Origin

Middle English, from Middle French gaffe, from Old Provençal gaf (“hook”), derivative of gafar (“to sieze”), from Gothic - (gaff-) derived from (giban, “to give”).

Noun

rough or harsh treatment; criticism
1916, Edgar Rice Burrows, Beyond Thirty (aka The Lost Continent), edition HTML, The Gutenberg Project, published 2008:
"Numbers one, two, and five engines have broken down, sir," he called. "Shall we force the remaining three?" / "We can do nothing else," I bellowed into the transmitter. / "They won't stand the gaff, sir," he returned. / "Can you suggest a better plan?" I asked. / "No, sir," he replied. / "Then give them the gaff, lieutenant," I shouted back, and hung up the receiver.

Origin

Perhaps from Old English gafsprǣc (“buffoonery, scurrility; blasphemous or ribald speech”), from Old English gaf (“base, vile, lewd”) + Old English sprǣc (“language, speech, talk”)

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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MLA Style

"gaff." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 21 April 2019. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/GAFF>.

APA Style

gaff. (n.d.). Retrieved April 21st, 2019, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/GAFF

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