▪ I. † truff, n.1 Obs.
Forms: 4, 8 Sc. truf, 5–7 truffe, (6 Sc. pl. trufis), 7–8 truff.
[a. F. truffe a truffle (1370 in Godef. Compl.), in OF. also figuratively trufe a cozening, cheating, etc. (1265 in Godef.) in which sense it is first recorded in English: see truffle.]
1. An idle tale or jest. Cf. trifle n. 1.
| 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 272 b/1 In the same errour Austyn fylle..and was broughte to byleue the truffes and Iapes. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. 440 The Scottis in despyte of y⊇ Englysh men,..and also to theyr more derysyon made dyuerse truffys, roundys, & songys. 1513 Douglas æneis viii. Prol. 170 Than wol I tene at I tuk to sic trufis [ed. 1553 truffuris] tent. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xii. §29 Playing vpon the English Truffes and Rounds. |
2. A truffle. rare.
| 1633 Hart Diet Diseased i. xiii. 47 Those roots, commonly called Puffes, or Truffes. 1669 Phil. Trans. IV. 1013 Other odd things in Nature, as Truffs, Mushroms. 1672 Evelyn Fr. Gard. 260 Concerning Morilles and Truffs. |
▪ II. truff, n.2
Local name for the bull-trout, Salmo eriox. Also sea-truff.
| 1818 Sporting Mag. II. 158 What some call ‘truffs’, others sea-trout. 1865 Couch Brit. Fishes IV. 211 Sea Trout. Grey Trout. Bull Trout. Sea Truff. Pugtrout. 1880 in Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. (1888) s.v., They've a-catcht a little truff, nort else. |
▪ III. † truff, v. Obs.
Forms: see truff n.1
[ad. OF. truffer, trufer to mock, deride, gibe at (13th c.); cf. med.L. trufare, truphare to mock, It. truffare to cozen, cheat (Florio); see truphane.]
1. trans. To deceive, befool. Hence ˈtruffing vbl. n.
| c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints i. 242 Sa cuth he deile with trufinge. 1657 C. Beck Univ. Char. L viij b, To truffe, v. gird. |
2. intr. To trifle with.
| 1485 Caxton Chas. Gt. ii. ii. x. 119 Ye haue seen how he truffed wyth me. |
3. trans. Sc. To obtain by deceit; to steal, pilfer.
| 1720 A. Pennecuik Helicon (ed. 2) 66 I've truf'd you a Ladies Shirt from the Hedge. 1721 Ramsay Lucky Spence vi, Be sure to truff his pocket-book. |
Hence † ˈtruffer [cf. OF. trufeor, truffour (c 1170 in Godef.)], one who ‘truffs’; so † ˈtruffery [a. OF. truf(f)erie (c 1230 in Godef.)], a mockery, trifle, thing of no importance.
| c 1450 Mirour Saluacioun 2225 The first two causes pilat helde bot a truferye. 1553 Truffuris [see truff n.1 1, quot. 1513]. 1728 Ramsay Fables xvii. 8 The hand of this young foolish truffer. |
▪ IV. truff
Sc. form of turf.