bluff

bluff is defined in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1913) with 9 senses, and appears in Roget's Thesaurus (1911) with 14 related terms. The full text of each entry is reproduced verbatim below.

Definitions

  1. 1.Rising steeply with a flat or rounded front. "A bluff or bold shore." Falconer. Its banks, if not really steep, had a bluff and precipitous aspect. Judd.
  2. 2.Surly; churlish; gruff; rough.
  3. 3.Abrupt; roughly frank; unceremonious; blunt; brusque; as, a bluff answer; a bluff manner of talking; a bluff sea captain. "Bluff King Hal." Sir W. Scott. There is indeed a bluff pertinacity which is a proper defense in a moment of surprise. I. Taylor.
  4. 4.A high, steep bank, as by a river or the sea, or beside a ravine or plain; a cliff with a broad face. Beach, bluff, and wave, adieu. Whittier.
  5. 5.An act of bluffing; an expression of self-confidence for the purpose of intimidation; braggadocio; as, that is only bluff, or a bluff.
  6. 6.A game at cards; poker. [U.S.] Bartlett.
  7. 7.(Poker) To deter (an opponent) from taking the risk of betting on his hand of cards, as the bluffer does by betting heavily on his own hand although it may be of less value. [U. S.]
  8. 8.To frighten or deter from accomplishing a purpose by making a show of confidence in one's strength or resources; as, he bluffed me off. [Colloq.]
  9. 9.To act as in the game of bluff.

Source: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).

Synonyms

Related terms (Roget's 1911)

Source: Roget's Thesaurus, 1911 edition (public domain, via Project Gutenberg eBook #10681).

Related questions

Reverse-dictionary questions

Definition-first questions whose answer is bluff.

Sources

  • Definitions: Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
  • Synonyms: Roget's Thesaurus, 1911 edition (public domain, via Project Gutenberg eBook #10681).
  • Canonical URL: https://worddirectanswers.com/word/bluff
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