buffe Now only hist.
(bʊf)
Also 6 buffie.
[ad. It. buffa the breathing hole of a helmet.]
In ancient armour, a chin piece pierced with breathing-holes, worn with the burgonet.
| 1598 Florio, Buffa, the buffie or breathing holes of a headpiece or helmet. 1600 Holland Livy xliv. xxxiv. 1192 Others furbushed their headpeeces, buffes [bucculas], and beavers. 1885 H. A. Dillon Fairholt's Costume (ed. 3) II. 102 A separate and distinct chin-piece called a buffe is so often associated with it [sc. the burgonet]. 1909 C. ffoulkes Arm. & Weapons iv. 83 The face-guard, when used with the burgonet, is called the Buffe. 1922 Daily Tel. 12 June 20/3 The ‘Buffe’ of French 16th century work, which belongs to the ‘Colbert’ casque. |