Origin of goof
1915–20; apparently variant of obsolete
goff dolt < Middle French
goffe awkward, stupid
Words nearby goof
goody two shoes,
goody two-shoes,
goody-goody,
goodyear,
gooey,
goof,
goof on,
goof up,
goof-off,
goof-up,
goofball
Definition for goof off (2 of 2)
goof-off
[ goof-awf, -of ]
/ ˈgufˌɔf, -ˌɒf /
noun Slang.
a person who habitually shirks work or responsibility; idler.
Origin of goof-off
First recorded in 1950–55; noun use of verb phrase
goof off
British Dictionary definitions for goof off
goof
/ (ɡuːf) informal /
noun
a foolish error or mistake
a stupid person
verb
to bungle (something); botch
(intr; often foll by about or around)
to fool (around); mess (about)
(tr)
to dope with drugs
(intr often foll by off) US and Canadian
to waste time; idle
Word Origin for goof
C20: probably from (dialect)
goff simpleton, from Old French
goffe clumsy, from Italian
goffo, of obscure origin