[See BUFF sb.2]
1. A stout coat of buff leather, esp. worn by soldiers. Also fig.
1633. T. Stafford, Pac. Hib., xi. (1821), 134. Captaine Harvy receevid … a blow with a pike … but escaped danger by the goodnesse of his Buffe Coat.
1685. W. Adams, Dedham Pulpit, 104. The form of religion … is a buff coat to their sins, to turn the sharpest reproofs.
1801. Grose, Milit. Antiq., II. 323. The buff-coat, or jerkin … originally worn under the cuirass … became frequently a substitute for it, it having been found that a good buff leather would of itself resist the stroke of a sword…. Buff-coats continued to be worn by the city trained-bands till within the memory of persons now living.
1816. Scott, Old Mort., ii. The jack-boots, buff coat, and other accoutrements.
2. One who wears a buff coat; a soldier.
a. 1670. Hacket, Abp. Williams, I. (1692), 170. Some profane buff-coats will authorize such incendiaries.
1721. Amherst, Terræ Filius, 219. The city buff-coats, who took Liste in Bunhill-fields.
† 3. See quot. Obs.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 293/2. Buff-Coat [is] a soft Bread eaten hot with Butter. [Phillips, Kersey, & Bailey print bust-coat.]
4. = BUFFY COAT.
Hence Buff-coated a.
1856. J. Grant, Black Drag., xlvii. 247. The rear-guard of buff-coated and steel-capped cavalry rode past with carbine on thigh.
