the.com/buff
a word that flexes between strong, polished, naked, and a die-hard fan of something.
means To buff is to polish something to a shine, while as an adjective it describes someone muscular and toned, a pale yellowish-brown color, or (informally) being nude; as a noun it means a devoted enthusiast of a particular hobby or subject.
from The thread runs back to "buffle," the old name for the buffalo, whose tough hide was turned into "buff leather" — a pale, sturdy material prized for soldiers' coats and for polishing cloths, which is how "to buff" came to mean rubbing something to a gleam, and why "buff" names that soft yellow-tan color. The naked sense — "in the buff" — likens bare skin to that pale leather. The fan meaning is the surprising one: it's an Americanism said to come from the buff-colored coats once worn by volunteer firefighters in New York, so that "buff" first meant an avid follower of fires before it spread to enthusiasts of every stripe.
- naked origin
- in the buff means bare, from pale buffalo leather
- fire brigade
- buff once meant fans who chased fire engines
- polish power
- to buff is to rub something into a shine
- color too
- buff names a soft yellowish-tan shade
- gaming boost
- a buff makes your character stronger mid-fight
buffalo wings — spicy chicken wings created at the anchor bar in buffalo, new york in 1964
buffalo soldier — african american cavalry regiments like the 10th cavalry regiment formed after the civil war
buffalo springfield — 1960s rock band featuring neil young, formed in los angeles in 1966