scoff

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English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Middle English scof, skof, probably of North Germanic origin. Compare Old Norse skaup, Old Danish skof, Old Frisian skof (insult, shame), and Old High German scoph.

Noun

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scoff (plural scoffs)

  1. A derisive or mocking expression of scorn, contempt, or reproach.
    Synonyms: derision, ridicule; see also Thesaurus:ridicule
    • 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene vi], page 100, column 1:
      VVith ſcoffes and ſcornes, and contumelious taunts, / In open Market-place produc't they me, / To be a publique ſpectacle to all: / Here, ſayd they, is the Terror of the French, / The Scar-Crovv that affrights our Children ſo.
    • 1863, J[oseph] Sheridan Le Fanu, “The Wher-wolf”, in The House by the Church-yard. [], volume III, London: Tinsley, Brothers, [], →OCLC, page 200:
      "I believe you've killed that constable in the exercise of his duty, sir; the man's dead;" said Lowe, sternly. / "Another gloss on my text; why invade me like house-breakers?" said Dangerfield, with a grim scoff.
    • 1852, The Dublin University Magazine, page 66:
      There were sneers, and scoffs, and inuendoes of some; prophecies of failure in a hundred ways []
  2. An object of scorn, mockery, or derision.
Translations
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Verb

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scoff (third-person singular simple present scoffs, present participle scoffing, simple past and past participle scoffed)

  1. (intransitive) To jeer; to laugh with contempt and derision.
    Synonym: sneer
  2. (transitive) To mock; to treat with scorn.
    Synonyms: contemn, deride
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Etymology 2

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A variant, attested since the mid 19th century, of scaff, of uncertain origin.[1][2] Compare scarf (eat quickly).

Noun

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scoff (countable and uncountable, plural scoffs)

  1. (Newfoundland, South Africa and British Army slang) Food.
  2. (slang) The act of eating.
    • 2016, Fearne Cotton, Cook Happy, Cook Healthy:
      Lunch for the busy has become a quick scoff of processed, terrifyingly orange couscous, []
Translations
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Verb

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scoff (third-person singular simple present scoffs, present participle scoffing, simple past and past participle scoffed)

  1. (British, Newfoundland, slang) To eat food quickly.
    Synonyms: gobble, (US) scarf
    • 2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 68:
      The numbers thin out the further we get from London, so I don't feel guilty when I remove my mask momentarily to scoff some of the snacks I'd bought at Marylebone.
  2. (Newfoundland, South Africa and British Army slang) To eat.
Derived terms
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Translations
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See also

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References

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  1. ^ scoff”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
  2. ^ scoff”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.