Sekirov Dictionary

doff

UK /dɒf/US /dɔf/

verb 9
noun 1
forms 6

verb9

•
To remove or take off (something worn on the body such as armour or clothing, or something carried).
- Thou vveare a Lyons hide, doff it for shame, / And hang a Calues skin on those recreant limbes. — 1596
•
To remove or tip (a hat or other headwear) in greeting or salutation, or as a mark of respect.
- The rustics doffed their hats at the clergy.
To remove (a bobbin or spindle which is full of spun yarn) from a spinning frame for replacement with an empty one.
To remove (small pieces of cotton or other plant fibre, etc.) from a carding cylinder.
[with oneself] (dialect) To undress (oneself); to divest, to strip.
•
(figurative) To cast aside or get rid of (something), to throw off.
- Doff that stupid idea: it will never work.
•
(no longer used, rare) To remove or tip a hat or other headwear in greeting or salutation, or as a mark of respect.
- And [the goose] feeding high, and living soft, / Grew plump and able-bodied; / Until the grave churchwarden doff'd, / The parson smirk'd and nodded. — 1832
•
(no longer used, rare) Followed by with: to remove or take off something worn on the body, or something carried.
- VVhy, look'ye, Major Sturgeon, I don't much care for your poppers and sharpes, because vvhy, they are out of my vvay; but if you vvill doff vvith your boots, and box a couple of bouts. — 1763
•
(no longer used) To put off or turn away (someone) with an excuse, etc.
- Euery day, thou dofftst me, vvith some deuise Iago; / And rather, as it seemes to me, thou keepest from me, / All conueniency, then suppliest me, vvith the least / Aduantage of hope: […] — 1603

noun1

•
(no longer used, rare) Followed by off: an act of putting off or turning away someone with an excuse, etc.
- Faith, Lelia has een giuen him the doff off here, and has made hir father almost starke mad. — 1606

forms

doffed · doffedst · doffing · doffeth · doffs · doffest

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