guff: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1informal, mildly slang
Quick answer
What does “guff” mean?
foolish, pretentious, or insincere talk or ideas.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
foolish, pretentious, or insincere talk or ideas; nonsense.
Insolent, impudent, or cheeky talk or behaviour (chiefly British, informal).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In American English, 'guff' is almost exclusively used to mean 'nonsense'. In British English, it retains a secondary, slightly older meaning of 'insolent talk' or 'cheek'.
Connotations
AmE: dismissive contempt for foolish talk. BrE: can carry the same meaning, but also connotations of impudence, especially in phrases like 'Don't give me any of your guff!'
Frequency
More common in AmE. In BrE, it is known but somewhat dated; synonyms like 'nonsense', 'rubbish', or 'cheek' are often preferred.
Grammar
How to Use “guff” in a Sentence
give someone guffbe (just) guffDon't (you) guff me!cut the guffVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “guff” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- Don't you guff me, young man!
- He started guffing on about his rights.
American English
- He guffed his way through the interview with empty promises.
adjective
British English
- It was a guff argument from start to finish.
- That's a guff idea.
American English
- The report was full of guff statistics.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
"We need to cut through the marketing guff and see the real numbers."
Academic
Rare; used informally to criticise poorly reasoned arguments: "The paper's theoretical framework is largely guff."
Everyday
"He was talking a lot of guff about his new diet plan."
Technical
Virtually never used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “guff”
- Using it in formal writing.
- Confusing it with 'guffaw' (a loud laugh).
- Overusing it; it's a specific, informal term.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is informal and dismissive, but not a swear word. It expresses strong contempt for what someone has said.
It can refer to both spoken and written nonsense (e.g., 'marketing guff', 'bureaucratic guff').
'Guff' is more specific and colourful. It implies the nonsense is pretentious, irritating, or impudent, whereas 'nonsense' is more general.
It is somewhat dated in British English but remains in active, though informal, use in American English.
foolish, pretentious, or insincere talk or ideas.
Guff is usually informal, mildly slang in register.
Guff: in British English it is pronounced /ɡʌf/, and in American English it is pronounced /ɡʌf/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Cut the guff and get to the point.”
- “I'm not taking any more of your guff!”
- “Don't give me that guff.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of someone trying to BLUFF you with nonsense – they're giving you GUFF. GUFF sounds like a puff of useless air.
Conceptual Metaphor
WORTHLESS SPEECH IS TRASH/RUBBISH (e.g., rubbish, garbage, guff).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'guff' be LEAST appropriate?