muff
[ muhf ]
/ mʌf /
noun
verb (used with object)
Informal.
to bungle; handle clumsily: He muffed a good opportunity.
Sports.
to fail to hold onto (a ball that may reasonably be expected to be caught successfully); fumble.
verb (used without object)
Informal.
to bungle; perform clumsily.
Origin of muff
1590–1600; < Dutch
mof, earlier
moffel, muffel mitten, muff < Old North French
moufle < early Medieval Latin
muffula, perhaps < Frankish
OTHER WORDS FROM muff
muff·y, adjectiveWords nearby muff
muenster,
muesli,
muesli bar,
muezzin,
muf,
muff,
muff glass,
muffin,
muffin man,
muffin stand,
muffin top
Definition for muff (2 of 2)
muff glass
noun
sheet glass made from a blown cylinder (muff) that is split and flattened.
Example sentences from the Web for muff
British Dictionary definitions for muff (1 of 2)
muff
1
/ (mʌf) /
noun
an open-ended cylinder of fur or cloth into which the hands are placed for warmth
the tuft on either side of the head of certain fowls
Word Origin for muff
C16: probably from Dutch
mof, ultimately from French
mouffle muffle
1
British Dictionary definitions for muff (2 of 2)
muff
2
/ (mʌf) /
verb
to perform (an action) awkwardly
(tr)
to bungle (a shot, catch, etc) in a game
noun
any unskilful play in a game, esp a dropped catch
any clumsy or bungled action
a bungler
Word Origin for muff
C19: of uncertain origin