Faff
Definition, Meaning & Examples
Pronunciation /fæf/ · Part of speech noun
Quick meaning: Faff is a noun meaning (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang) An overcomplicated task, especially one perceived as a waste of time.
Meaning
(UK, Ireland, Commonwealth, slang) An overcomplicated task, especially one perceived as a waste of time.
More Meanings
- (originally Northern England, typically 'in a faff') A state of confused or frantic activity.
- (UK, obsolete) A puff of smoke; a gust of wind.
- (originally Yorkshire, now colloquial, intransitive, of air) To blow in puffs, blow gently.
- (originally Yorkshire, archaic, transitive) To move (something) with a puff of air, to blow away.
- (British, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, intransitive) To waste time on an unproductive activity.
Example Sentences
Adjusting this television is a bit of a faff.
She's in a total faff about tonight's dinner party.
The show is a carefully curated manifesto of “social success without faff”.
The fuss and faff meant Christmas had long since been drained of any joy and excitement.
Word Forms
- faffs
- faffing
- faffed
Synonyms for faff
Depending on context, synonyms include annoyance, bother, grievance, hassle, inconvenience, irritation.
Related Words
Related dictionary entries include faffage, faffery, fashery, foofaraw, fuzz, fash.
Related Dictionary Tools
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.