"faff" meaning in All languages combined

See faff on Wiktionary

Noun [Cimbrian]

Forms: faffen [plural]
Etymology: From Middle High German pfaffe, from Old High German pfaffo, phapho, from Latin papa, from Byzantine Greek παπᾶς (papâs), from Koine Greek πάπας (pápas), from Ancient Greek πάππας (páppas). Cognate to German Pfaffe, Dutch paap. Doublet of baabost. Etymology templates: {{inh|cim|gmh|pfaffe}} Middle High German pfaffe, {{inh|cim|goh|pfaffo}} Old High German pfaffo, {{m|goh|phapho}} phapho, {{der|cim|la|papa}} Latin papa, {{der|cim|gkm|παπᾶς}} Byzantine Greek παπᾶς (papâs), {{der|cim|grc-koi|πάπας}} Koine Greek πάπας (pápas), {{der|cim|grc|πάππας}} Ancient Greek πάππας (páppas), {{cog|de|Pfaffe}} German Pfaffe, {{cog|nl|paap}} Dutch paap, {{doublet|cim|baabost}} Doublet of baabost Head templates: {{head|cim|noun|cat2=|g=m|g2=|head=}} faff m, {{cim-noun|m|faffen}} faff m (plural faffen)
  1. (Luserna, Sette Comuni) priest Tags: Luserna, Sette-Comuni, masculine Categories (topical): Occupations, Religion
    Sense id: en-faff-cim-noun-D8SBa7Mi Disambiguation of Occupations: 55 45 Disambiguation of Religion: 100 0 Categories (other): Luserna Cimbrian, Sette Comuni Cimbrian, Cimbrian entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of Cimbrian entries with incorrect language header: 50 50
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Categories (topical): People
Etymology number: 1 Disambiguation of People: 0 0

Noun [Cimbrian]

Head templates: {{head|cim|noun|cat2=|g=?|g2=|head=}} faff ?, {{cim-noun}} faff ?
  1. (Luserna) lily (flower) Tags: Luserna Categories (topical): Occupations Categories (lifeform): Flowers, Lily family plants
    Sense id: en-faff-cim-noun-KEGtlorr Disambiguation of Occupations: 55 45 Disambiguation of Flowers: 35 65 Disambiguation of Lily family plants: 19 81 Categories (other): Luserna Cimbrian, Cimbrian entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of Cimbrian entries with incorrect language header: 50 50
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Categories (topical): People
Etymology number: 2 Disambiguation of People: 0 0

Noun [English]

IPA: /fæf/ Audio: En-au-faff.ogg [Australia] Forms: faffs [plural]
Rhymes: -æf Etymology: From a dialect word meaning "blow in gusts". Head templates: {{en-noun}} faff (plural faffs)
  1. (British, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, slang) An overcomplicated task, especially one perceived as a waste of time. Tags: Australia, British, Ireland, New-Zealand, slang Synonyms: nuisance Translations (an overcomplicated task): gedoe [neuter] (Dutch), soesa [masculine] (Dutch), bzdura [feminine] (Polish), głupota [feminine] (Polish)
    Sense id: en-faff-en-noun-56I8MJyn Categories (other): Australian English, British English, Irish English, New Zealand English, English entries with incorrect language header Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 61 1 37 Disambiguation of 'an overcomplicated task': 98 2
  2. (typically in the phrase 'in a faff') A state of confused or frantic activity. Synonyms: flap
    Sense id: en-faff-en-noun-o0J1zgMH

Verb [English]

IPA: /fæf/ Audio: En-au-faff.ogg [Australia] Forms: faffs [present, singular, third-person], faffing [participle, present], faffed [participle, past], faffed [past]
Rhymes: -æf Etymology: From a dialect word meaning "blow in gusts". Head templates: {{en-verb}} faff (third-person singular simple present faffs, present participle faffing, simple past and past participle faffed)
  1. (British, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand) To waste time on an unproductive activity. Tags: Australia, British, Ireland, New-Zealand Synonyms: arse around, dick around (english: American) Derived forms: faff about, faff around, faffer, faffery, faff on
    Sense id: en-faff-en-verb-Rg6TMgVV Categories (other): Australian English, British English, Irish English, New Zealand English

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for faff meaning in All languages combined (9.9kB)

{
  "etymology_text": "From a dialect word meaning \"blow in gusts\".",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "faffs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "faff (plural faffs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Australian English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "British English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Irish English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "New Zealand English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "61 1 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Adjusting this television is a bit of a faff.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2007 November 27, Hadley Freeman, “Miaow!”, in The Guardian",
          "text": "God it must be a faff having to get nigh-on naked every time your bladder runneth over, and imagine how much worse it must be if you only have a 20-second break to run off stage to the loo.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Patrick Kingsley, “Life with the Queen Mum revealed”, in The Guardian",
          "text": "Breakfast in bed at the royal household is a massive faff. A page boy must carry the tray upstairs, but he's banned from actually serving it. So he leaves it on the floor by the bedroom door, whereupon a housemaid picks it up and knocks on said portal.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2017, Andi Watson, Glister",
          "text": "The fuss and faff meant Christmas had long since been drained of any joy and excitement.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 September 23, Tim Hayward, “Not so easy does it”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 19",
          "text": "The show is a carefully curated manifesto of “social success without faff”.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An overcomplicated task, especially one perceived as a waste of time."
      ],
      "id": "en-faff-en-noun-56I8MJyn",
      "links": [
        [
          "overcomplicated",
          "overcomplicated"
        ],
        [
          "waste of time",
          "waste of time"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(British, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, slang) An overcomplicated task, especially one perceived as a waste of time."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "nuisance"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "British",
        "Ireland",
        "New-Zealand",
        "slang"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "an overcomplicated task",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "gedoe"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "an overcomplicated task",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "soesa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "an overcomplicated task",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "bzdura"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "98 2",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "an overcomplicated task",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "głupota"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She's in a total faff about tonight's dinner party.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A state of confused or frantic activity."
      ],
      "id": "en-faff-en-noun-o0J1zgMH",
      "qualifier": "typically in the phrase 'in a faff'",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(typically in the phrase 'in a faff') A state of confused or frantic activity."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "flap"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/fæf/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-æf"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-faff.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/4a/En-au-faff.ogg/En-au-faff.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/En-au-faff.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "faff"
}

{
  "etymology_text": "From a dialect word meaning \"blow in gusts\".",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "faffs",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "faffing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "faffed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "faffed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "faff (third-person singular simple present faffs, present participle faffing, simple past and past participle faffed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Australian English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "British English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Irish English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "New Zealand English",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "word": "faff about"
        },
        {
          "word": "faff around"
        },
        {
          "word": "faffer"
        },
        {
          "word": "faffery"
        },
        {
          "word": "faff on"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2009, Steven Aitchison, 100 Ways to Develop Your Mind, page 131",
          "text": "Stop Faffing And Just Do It",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To waste time on an unproductive activity."
      ],
      "id": "en-faff-en-verb-Rg6TMgVV",
      "links": [
        [
          "waste time",
          "waste time"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(British, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand) To waste time on an unproductive activity."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "arse around"
        },
        {
          "english": "American",
          "word": "dick around"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "British",
        "Ireland",
        "New-Zealand"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/fæf/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-æf"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-faff.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/4a/En-au-faff.ogg/En-au-faff.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/En-au-faff.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "faff"
}

{
  "categories": [
    {
      "_dis": "0 0",
      "kind": "topical",
      "langcode": "cim",
      "name": "People",
      "orig": "cim:People",
      "parents": [
        "Human",
        "All topics",
        "Fundamental"
      ],
      "source": "w+disamb"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "gmh",
        "3": "pfaffe"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle High German pfaffe",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "goh",
        "3": "pfaffo"
      },
      "expansion": "Old High German pfaffo",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "goh",
        "2": "phapho"
      },
      "expansion": "phapho",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "papa"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin papa",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "gkm",
        "3": "παπᾶς"
      },
      "expansion": "Byzantine Greek παπᾶς (papâs)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "grc-koi",
        "3": "πάπας"
      },
      "expansion": "Koine Greek πάπας (pápas)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "πάππας"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek πάππας (páppas)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Pfaffe"
      },
      "expansion": "German Pfaffe",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "paap"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch paap",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "baabost"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of baabost",
      "name": "doublet"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle High German pfaffe, from Old High German pfaffo, phapho, from Latin papa, from Byzantine Greek παπᾶς (papâs), from Koine Greek πάπας (pápas), from Ancient Greek πάππας (páppas). Cognate to German Pfaffe, Dutch paap. Doublet of baabost.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "faffen",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "noun",
        "cat2": "",
        "g": "m",
        "g2": "",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "faff m",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "m",
        "2": "faffen"
      },
      "expansion": "faff m (plural faffen)",
      "name": "cim-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Cimbrian",
  "lang_code": "cim",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Luserna Cimbrian",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Sette Comuni Cimbrian",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Cimbrian entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "55 45",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "cim",
          "name": "Occupations",
          "orig": "cim:Occupations",
          "parents": [
            "People",
            "Work",
            "Human",
            "Human activity",
            "All topics",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "100 0",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "cim",
          "name": "Religion",
          "orig": "cim:Religion",
          "parents": [
            "Culture",
            "Society",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "english": "Priests heal people's souls.",
          "text": "De faffen luughent naach dar zéel bon lòiten.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "priest"
      ],
      "id": "en-faff-cim-noun-D8SBa7Mi",
      "links": [
        [
          "priest",
          "priest"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Luserna, Sette Comuni) priest"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Luserna",
        "Sette-Comuni",
        "masculine"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "faff"
}

{
  "categories": [
    {
      "_dis": "0 0",
      "kind": "topical",
      "langcode": "cim",
      "name": "People",
      "orig": "cim:People",
      "parents": [
        "Human",
        "All topics",
        "Fundamental"
      ],
      "source": "w+disamb"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "noun",
        "cat2": "",
        "g": "?",
        "g2": "",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "faff ?",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "faff ?",
      "name": "cim-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Cimbrian",
  "lang_code": "cim",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Luserna Cimbrian",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "50 50",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Cimbrian entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "35 65",
          "kind": "lifeform",
          "langcode": "cim",
          "name": "Flowers",
          "orig": "cim:Flowers",
          "parents": [
            "Plants",
            "Lifeforms",
            "All topics",
            "Life",
            "Fundamental",
            "Nature"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 81",
          "kind": "lifeform",
          "langcode": "cim",
          "name": "Lily family plants",
          "orig": "cim:Lily family plants",
          "parents": [
            "Flowers",
            "Liliales order plants",
            "Plants",
            "Lifeforms",
            "All topics",
            "Life",
            "Fundamental",
            "Nature"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "55 45",
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "cim",
          "name": "Occupations",
          "orig": "cim:Occupations",
          "parents": [
            "People",
            "Work",
            "Human",
            "Human activity",
            "All topics",
            "Human behaviour",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "lily (flower)"
      ],
      "id": "en-faff-cim-noun-KEGtlorr",
      "links": [
        [
          "lily",
          "lily"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Luserna) lily (flower)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Luserna"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "faff"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Cimbrian doublets",
    "Cimbrian entries with incorrect language header",
    "Cimbrian lemmas",
    "Cimbrian masculine nouns",
    "Cimbrian nouns",
    "Cimbrian terms derived from Ancient Greek",
    "Cimbrian terms derived from Byzantine Greek",
    "Cimbrian terms derived from Koine Greek",
    "Cimbrian terms derived from Latin",
    "Cimbrian terms derived from Middle High German",
    "Cimbrian terms derived from Old High German",
    "Cimbrian terms inherited from Middle High German",
    "Cimbrian terms inherited from Old High German",
    "Requests for gender in Cimbrian entries",
    "cim:Flowers",
    "cim:Lily family plants",
    "cim:Occupations",
    "cim:People",
    "cim:Religion"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 1,
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "gmh",
        "3": "pfaffe"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle High German pfaffe",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "goh",
        "3": "pfaffo"
      },
      "expansion": "Old High German pfaffo",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "goh",
        "2": "phapho"
      },
      "expansion": "phapho",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "papa"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin papa",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "gkm",
        "3": "παπᾶς"
      },
      "expansion": "Byzantine Greek παπᾶς (papâs)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "grc-koi",
        "3": "πάπας"
      },
      "expansion": "Koine Greek πάπας (pápas)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "grc",
        "3": "πάππας"
      },
      "expansion": "Ancient Greek πάππας (páppas)",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Pfaffe"
      },
      "expansion": "German Pfaffe",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "paap"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch paap",
      "name": "cog"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "baabost"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of baabost",
      "name": "doublet"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Middle High German pfaffe, from Old High German pfaffo, phapho, from Latin papa, from Byzantine Greek παπᾶς (papâs), from Koine Greek πάπας (pápas), from Ancient Greek πάππας (páppas). Cognate to German Pfaffe, Dutch paap. Doublet of baabost.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "faffen",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "noun",
        "cat2": "",
        "g": "m",
        "g2": "",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "faff m",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "m",
        "2": "faffen"
      },
      "expansion": "faff m (plural faffen)",
      "name": "cim-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Cimbrian",
  "lang_code": "cim",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Cimbrian terms with usage examples",
        "Luserna Cimbrian",
        "Sette Comuni Cimbrian"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "english": "Priests heal people's souls.",
          "text": "De faffen luughent naach dar zéel bon lòiten.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "priest"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "priest",
          "priest"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Luserna, Sette Comuni) priest"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Luserna",
        "Sette-Comuni",
        "masculine"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "faff"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "Cimbrian entries with incorrect language header",
    "Cimbrian lemmas",
    "Cimbrian nouns",
    "Requests for gender in Cimbrian entries",
    "cim:Flowers",
    "cim:Lily family plants",
    "cim:Occupations",
    "cim:People",
    "cim:Religion"
  ],
  "etymology_number": 2,
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "cim",
        "2": "noun",
        "cat2": "",
        "g": "?",
        "g2": "",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "faff ?",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "faff ?",
      "name": "cim-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Cimbrian",
  "lang_code": "cim",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Luserna Cimbrian"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "lily (flower)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "lily",
          "lily"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(Luserna) lily (flower)"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Luserna"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "faff"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English 1-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English verbs",
    "Requests for gender in Cimbrian entries",
    "Rhymes:English/æf",
    "Rhymes:English/æf/1 syllable",
    "cim:Flowers",
    "cim:Lily family plants",
    "cim:Occupations",
    "cim:People",
    "cim:Religion"
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From a dialect word meaning \"blow in gusts\".",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "faffs",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "faff (plural faffs)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Australian English",
        "British English",
        "English slang",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "Irish English",
        "New Zealand English"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Adjusting this television is a bit of a faff.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2007 November 27, Hadley Freeman, “Miaow!”, in The Guardian",
          "text": "God it must be a faff having to get nigh-on naked every time your bladder runneth over, and imagine how much worse it must be if you only have a 20-second break to run off stage to the loo.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2011, Patrick Kingsley, “Life with the Queen Mum revealed”, in The Guardian",
          "text": "Breakfast in bed at the royal household is a massive faff. A page boy must carry the tray upstairs, but he's banned from actually serving it. So he leaves it on the floor by the bedroom door, whereupon a housemaid picks it up and knocks on said portal.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2017, Andi Watson, Glister",
          "text": "The fuss and faff meant Christmas had long since been drained of any joy and excitement.",
          "type": "quotation"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 September 23, Tim Hayward, “Not so easy does it”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 19",
          "text": "The show is a carefully curated manifesto of “social success without faff”.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An overcomplicated task, especially one perceived as a waste of time."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "overcomplicated",
          "overcomplicated"
        ],
        [
          "waste of time",
          "waste of time"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(British, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, slang) An overcomplicated task, especially one perceived as a waste of time."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "nuisance"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "British",
        "Ireland",
        "New-Zealand",
        "slang"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "She's in a total faff about tonight's dinner party.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A state of confused or frantic activity."
      ],
      "qualifier": "typically in the phrase 'in a faff'",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(typically in the phrase 'in a faff') A state of confused or frantic activity."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "flap"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/fæf/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-æf"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-faff.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/4a/En-au-faff.ogg/En-au-faff.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/En-au-faff.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "an overcomplicated task",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "gedoe"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "an overcomplicated task",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "soesa"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "an overcomplicated task",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "bzdura"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "an overcomplicated task",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "głupota"
    }
  ],
  "word": "faff"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English 1-syllable words",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with IPA pronunciation",
    "English terms with audio links",
    "English verbs",
    "Requests for gender in Cimbrian entries",
    "Rhymes:English/æf",
    "Rhymes:English/æf/1 syllable",
    "cim:Flowers",
    "cim:Lily family plants",
    "cim:Occupations",
    "cim:People",
    "cim:Religion"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "faff about"
    },
    {
      "word": "faff around"
    },
    {
      "word": "faffer"
    },
    {
      "word": "faffery"
    },
    {
      "word": "faff on"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From a dialect word meaning \"blow in gusts\".",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "faffs",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "faffing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "faffed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "faffed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "faff (third-person singular simple present faffs, present participle faffing, simple past and past participle faffed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "Australian English",
        "British English",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "Irish English",
        "New Zealand English",
        "Quotation templates to be cleaned"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2009, Steven Aitchison, 100 Ways to Develop Your Mind, page 131",
          "text": "Stop Faffing And Just Do It",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To waste time on an unproductive activity."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "waste time",
          "waste time"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(British, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand) To waste time on an unproductive activity."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "arse around"
        },
        {
          "english": "American",
          "word": "dick around"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Australia",
        "British",
        "Ireland",
        "New-Zealand"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/fæf/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-æf"
    },
    {
      "audio": "En-au-faff.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/4/4a/En-au-faff.ogg/En-au-faff.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/En-au-faff.ogg",
      "tags": [
        "Australia"
      ],
      "text": "Audio (AU)"
    }
  ],
  "word": "faff"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-05-12 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-05-02 using wiktextract (ae36afe and 304864d). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.