cuff
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.the part of a shirt or jacket sleeve that covers the wrist.
n.the end part of a sleeve, where the material of the garment is turned back or a separate band is sewn on.
Simple“He fastened the silver buttons on his shirt cuff before putting on his jacket.”
In context“The tailor suggested a French cuff for the dress shirt to accommodate the ornate cufflinks the groom intended to wear.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a fold of material at the bottom of a trouser leg.
n.a fold or turned-up finish at the bottom of a trouser leg.
Simple“The tailor adjusted the length of the trousers and added a small cuff.”
In context“Traditional sartorial standards often dictate that pleated trousers should feature a cuff, whereas flat-front trousers should have a plain hem.”
Synonymsturn up - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a pair of metal rings joined by a chain, used by police to hold a prisoner's wrists.
n.a device for fastening together the wrists of a prisoner, typically consisting of two metal rings connected by a chain.
Simple“The officer put the cuffs on the suspect and led him to the car.”
In context“The suspect remained silent as the arresting officer tightened the cuffs and recited the mandatory legal warnings.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to hit someone, usually on the head, with an open hand.
v.to strike someone with the open hand, especially on the head or ear.
Simple“The old man cuffed the boy on the ear for being disrespectful.”
In context“In the novel, the protagonist is cuffed by his master for a minor transgression, highlighting the harsh social hierarchy of the period.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to put handcuffs on someone.
v.to restrain a person by using handcuffs. Transitive use.
Simple“The police had to cuff him because he was trying to run away.”
In context“Standard procedure requires officers to cuff any individual taken into custody to ensure the safety of both the public and the transport team.”
- 06 C1 Advanced
v.to start a serious romantic relationship with someone, especially during winter.
v.to enter into a committed romantic relationship; often used in the context of 'cuffing season'.
Simple“He decided it was time to cuff his girlfriend after they had been dating for six months.”
In context“Social media trends often highlight the phenomenon of people looking to cuff a partner as the colder months approach, a period colloquially known as cuffing season.”
Synonymspartner upAntonyms
From Middle English cuffe, coffe (“glove, mitten”), of obscure origin. Perhaps from Old English cuffie (“hood, cap”), from Medieval Latin cofia, cofea, cuffa, cuphia (“helmet, headdress, hood, cap”), from Frankish kuf(f)ja (“headdress”), from Proto-West Germanic kuffju, from Proto-Germanic *kupjō (“cap”). Cognate with Middle High German kupfe (“cap”).
Clipping of handcuff.
1520, “to hit”, apparently of North Germanic origin, from Norwegian kuffa (“to push, shove”) or Swedish kuffa (“to knock, thrust, strike”), from the Proto-Germanic base skuf- (skuƀ), from Proto-Indo-European skewbʰ-, see also Lithuanian skùbti (“to hurry”), Polish skubać (“to pluck”), Albanian humb (“to lose”). Germanic cognates include Low German kuffen (“to box the ears”), German kuffen (“to thrash”). More at scuff, shove, scuffle.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.