bluff
v.v. to pretend you are in a stronger position than you really are to trick someone. You often do this in games or business to make others give up.
v. to feign confidence or strength in order to deceive an opponent, typically regarding one's hand in a card game or one's intentions in a negotiation.
He is bluffing about having a better offer.
The negotiator decided to bluff, claiming he had another buyer waiting, even though the house had been on the market for months.
In high-stakes poker, the ability to bluff effectively is just as vital as the cards themselves, as it forces opponents to fold despite holding superior hands.
Probably from Dutch bluffen (“to brag”), from Middle Dutch bluffen (“to make something swell; to bluff”); or from the Dutch noun bluf (“bragging”). Related to German verblüffen (“to stump, perplex”).
Related to Middle Low German blaff (“smooth”).
Possibly onomatopoeic, perhaps related to blow and puff.
The verb is both transitive and intransitive. When transitive, it often takes a direct object representing the person being deceived.
he bluffed to mehe bluffed meWhen used with a person as the object of the deception, the verb is transitive and does not require the preposition 'to'.