What does "chuff" mean?
A coarse or stupid fellow.
Chuff
/t͡ʃʌf/ adj, adv, noun, verb, slang
adj, adv, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A coarse or stupid fellow.
- Grammar: chuff is listed as adj, adv, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: anus, bumpkin, chugged, huff.
- Usage evidence: He refused to subscribe, he who had always given so largely to the cause; he was chuff, haughty, overbearing, and seemed bent upon antagonising every prominent suggestion that was made.
How to use "chuff"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "chuff" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "chuff" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "chuff" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "chuff" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "chuff" is acting as adj, adv, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "anus" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "chuff", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A coarse or stupid fellow.
"Hang ye, gorbellied knaves, are ye undone? / No, ye fat chuffs, I would your store were here!"
- 2 Superfluous small talk that is free of conflict, offers no character development, description or insight, and does not advance the story or plot. uncountable
- 3 The vagina. slang, vulgar
- 4 A noisy puffing sound. countable, uncountable
"Then the brass bell on top of the boiler rings out and a single massive chuff! of steam issues from the bowels of the loco. Then another chuff! – a blast of steam – another chuff! and the huge drive shafts tighten against the wheels."
- 5 The anus. slang, vulgar
"The car behind was following too close — it was right up my chuff."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A breathy noise produced by a tiger, similar in function to a cat's purr. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To make noisy puffing sounds, as of a steam locomotive. intransitive
"The horses stumbled along, coughing and chuffing."
- 2 Used as a replacement for obscenities, particularly fuck. UK, euphemistic
"Oh chuff off! I'm so chuffing fed up with all of the spam posts on my timeline."
- 3 blow hard and loudly wordnet
- 4 To break wind. British, slang
- 5 Of a powder, propellant, or explosive charge: to become extinguished and reignited intermittently.
"1967 Leo Allen Lukenas: The ignition transient in small solid propellant rocket motors. Princeton University Double base propellants often require ignition pressures of as much as 400 psia to avoid the problem of chuffing or hangfires."
Adjective
- 1 Surly; annoyed; displeased; disgruntled. British
"He refused to subscribe, he who had always given so largely to the cause; he was chuff, haughty, overbearing, and seemed bent upon antagonising every prominent suggestion that was made."
- 2 Pleased, proud. British
- 3 stupid; churlish; loutish. UK, dialectal
"such chuff Fellows , who would not willingly allow their Children any Pleasures"
- 4 Swollen with fat. obsolete
- 5 Swollen. slang, vulgar
Adverb
- 1 In a chuff manner.
"Macbeth when he talk'd very chuff About fighting -- how soon he got floor'd With a yard of cold steel by Macduff, And mine was that Wonderful Sword."
Example
"He refused to subscribe, he who had always given so largely to the cause; he was chuff, haughty, overbearing, and seemed bent upon antagonising every prominent suggestion that was made."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "chuff"?
Common synonyms include: anus, bumpkin, chugged, huff, puff.
How do you use "chuff" in a sentence?
He refused to subscribe, he who had always given so largely to the cause; he was chuff, haughty, overbearing, and seemed bent upon antagonising every prominent suggestion that was made.
How do you pronounce "chuff"?
Pronounced /t͡ʃʌf/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
15th century, dialectal, from Middle English chuffe (“a rustic, boor”), in noun sense “stupid fellow”. Adjective sense “surly, displeased” from 1832.
Etymology 2
Onomatopoeic. Compare chug and puff.
Etymology 3
1520s, in sense “swollen with fat”; circa 1860, British dialect, in sense “pleased”. Possibly related to “coarse, stupid, fat-headed” sense (see etymology 1 above). Or, perhaps a euphemistic alteration of fuck or another expletive.