duffer
pronunciation
How to pronounce duffer in British English:
UK [ˈdʌfə(r)]
How to pronounce duffer in American English:
US [ˈdʌfɚ]
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- Noun:
- an incompetent or clumsy person
Word Origin
- duffer
- duffer: see deaf
- duffer (n.)
- "inept person; old man," especially "bad golfer," 1842, perhaps from Scottish duffar "dull or stupid person," from dowf "stupid," literally "deaf," from Old Norse daufr, with pejorative suffix -art. Or perhaps from 18c. thieves' slang duff (v.) "to dress or manipulate an old thing and make it look new."
Example
- 1. As a golfer he was only a duffer .
- 2. I was a bit of a duffer at school .
- 3. Small firms are wary of hiring for fear they will be stuck with a duffer .
- 4. She 's a duffer at games .
- 5. He never upstaged his wife and though intelligent and rich , he was content to be viewed as a golfing , gin-swilling duffer .