Obs. exc. in BLIND MAN’S BUFF. Forms: 5–8 buffe, 6 buf, 6– buff. [perh. a. OF. bufe, buffe, a blow; cf. BUFFET sb.1] A blow, stroke, buffet. Buff and COUNTERBUFF seem to have been technical terms in fencing or pugilism.
c. 1420. Avow. Arth., iv. Quo durst abide him a buffe.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 291/4. He gaf to her in Japyng a buffe.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. ii. 17. The Sarazin, sore daunted with the buffe.
1641. Milton, Prel. Episc., Wks. 1738, I. 38. Where they give the Romanists one buff, they receive two counterbuffs.
2. To this perhaps belongs the phrase To stand buff: to stand firm, not to flinch; to endure.
a. 1680. Butler, Hudibras’s Epitaph (R.).
| And for the Good Old Cause stood buff | |
| ’Gainst many a bitter Kick and Cuff. |
1698. Vanbrugh, Prov. Wife, V. v. The marriage-knot … may stand buff a long, long time.
1701. Collier, M. Anton. (1726), 219. To stand buff against danger and death.
1732. Fielding, Miser, II. i. I must even stand buff, and outface him.
1827. Scott, Diary, in Lockhart (1839), IX. 146. If he does [turn on me] … it is best to stand buff to him.
