duff
1
8.2
- adjective
- /dʌf/
- Slang
- The old radio was completely duff and wouldn't turn on.
Examples
-
If the batteries are duff, the remote control won't work at all.
-
The car won't start; it must be duff.
-
He bought a duff phone that stopped working after a week.
-
This old computer is completely duff.
-
The bicycle is duff and can't be ridden since the brakes don't work.
-
He kept complaining about his duff laptop that crashes every time he tries to use it.
-
I had to throw away the duff television because it wouldn't turn on no matter what I tried.
Synonyms
101
6.1
Not working properly or doing its job
18
8.9
Not working properly, like a machine or phone
4
8.8
Poor quality and not reliable
1
9.3
A part that does not work properly or is weak, often for body parts and machines
Antonyms
Idioms
Compounds
- Archaic
1
9.9
A steamed or boiled sweet pudding made with dried fruit like raisins and currants
How Functional
Surface Forms
Etymology
Duff (not working) grew from the same slang sense of being useless or broken, and a helpful way to remember it is to think of 'duff' as like 'done for' — not working or useless. So when something is duff it does not work properly.