blind man's buff: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

'Blind man's buff' is the standard modern British English term. 'Blind man's bluff' is the more common American English variant. Historically, 'buff' referred to a small push or blow, while 'bluff' may be a later alteration. Both refer to the same game.

No, it is strictly a noun phrase (the name of a game). You 'play' blind man's buff. Using it as a verb (e.g., 'We blind man's buffed') is non-standard and would sound odd.

It is a traditional game and is less common in modern children's play than it was historically. It is now more often referenced in literature, historical descriptions, or as a nostalgic or metaphorical reference rather than a frequently played activity.

It functions exclusively as a compound noun. It can sometimes be used attributively (like an adjective) before another noun, as in 'a blind-man's-buff game'.

A traditional children's game in which a blindfolded player tries to catch and identify the other players.

Blind man's buff is usually informal, literary, historical in register.

Blind man's buff: in British English it is pronounced /ˌblaɪnd mænz ˈbʌf/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌblaɪnd mænz ˈbʌf/ or /ˌblaɪnd mænz ˈblʌf/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.