woofer
(ˈwuːfə(r), ˈwʊfə(r))
[f. woof v.2 + -er1.]
1. U.S. Blacks' slang. (See quot. 1934.)
| 1934 Amer. Speech IX. 289/1 Woofer, applied to one who talks constantly, loudly, and in a convincing manner, but who says very little. 1935 Z. N. Hurston Mules & Men i. iv. 88, I want outside to join the woofers, since I seemed to have no standing among the dancers. 1974 H. L. Foster Ribbin', Jivin', & Playin' Dozens v. 202 The woofer may also move his body in a menacing way to make his woof more threatening and intimidating. |
2. A loudspeaker designed to reproduce accurately low-frequency sounds whilst being relatively unresponsive to those of higher frequency. Cf. squawker 3, tweeter.
| 1935 K. Henney Radio Engin. Handbk. (ed. 2) xxiv. 830 Wide range of frequency response is sometimes secured by using as many as three groups of speakers: low (‘woofers’), medium, and high (‘tweeters’). 1959 Consumer Rep. Sept. 453/1 The Best Buy..is..much the better value of the two tweeters when coupled to a check-rated woofer. 1964 M. McLuhan Understanding Media (1967) xxxi. 348 It is like a badly wired woofer in a hi-fi circuit that produces a tremendous flutter in the bottom. 1979 Arizona Daily Star 5 Aug. i. 10/1 (Advt.), Big savings on a great sounding speaker. 8{pp} woofer for deep bass and 2½{pp} tweeter for clear highs. |