▪ I. spiff, n. slang.
[Of obscure origin. Cf. next.]
pl. (See quots.) Also attrib., as spiff stores, spiff system.
| 1859 Slang Dict. 98 Spiffs, the percentage allowed by drapers to their young men when they effect sale of old fashioned or undesirable stock. 1890 Pall Mall G. 2 April 3/2 To balance this network of penalties a ‘spiff’ system is usually adopted, spiffs being premiums placed on certain articles, not of the last fashion. |
Hence spiff v.1 trans., to allow a certain sum as commission on (an article).
| 1891 Ironmonger 19 Sept. 387 A ‘job’ chandelier, not very unsaleable, may be ‘spiffed’, say 1s., but a more unsaleable one should bear a higher sum. |
▪ II. spiff, v.2 slang.
[Cf. next and spiffy a.]
In pa. pple. Made neat, spruce, or fine; smartly dressed or tricked out. Also with up.
| 1877 W. S. Gilbert Foggerty's Fairy ii, We flatter ourselves that we are spiffed out; at all events we've got our best dresses on. 1979 Arizona Daily Star 22 July j3/2 The man doing it was an interior decorator, not an art conservator, and he did what he felt was best—he went in and spiffed up the church. |