verb / noun / adjective
buff
Soft yellowish leather used for polishing.
The craftsperson rubs the metal gently with soft buff leather.
Etymology
The French word names a buffalo. English used its shortened form for a kind of soft leather, and the leather’s texture made it useful for polishing.
More examples
- She buffed the silver until it shone.
- The envelopes were a pale buff color.
- He hurried to close the curtains before standing in the buff.
Forms
buff · buffs · buffed · buffing
Similar words
- polish
- Can use several methods, while buff specifically involves rubbing.