\Buff\ (b[u^]f), n. [OE. buff, buffe, buff, buffalo, F.
buffle buffalo. See {Buffalo}.]
1. A sort of leather, prepared from the skin of the buffalo,
   dressed with oil, like chamois; also, the skins of oxen,
   elks, and other animals, dressed in like manner. ``A suit
   of buff.'' --Shak.
2. The color of buff; a light yellow, shading toward pink,
   gray, or brown.
         A visage rough, Deformed, unfeatured, and a skin of
         buff.                                 --Dryden.
3. A military coat, made of buff leather. --Shak.
4. (Med.) The grayish viscid substance constituting the buffy
   coat. See {Buffy coat}, under {Buffy}, a.
5. (Mech.) A wheel covered with buff leather, and used in
   polishing cutlery, spoons, etc.
6. The bare skin; as, to strip to the buff. [Colloq.]
         To be in buff is equivalent to being naked.
                                               --Wright.

\Buff\, a.
1. Made of buff leather. --Goldsmith.
2. Of the color of buff.
{Buff coat}, a close, military outer garment, with short
   sleeves, and laced tightly over the chest, made of buffalo
   skin, or other thick and elastic material, worn by
   soldiers in the 17th century as a defensive covering.
{Buff jerkin}, originally, a leather waistcoat; afterward,
   one of cloth of a buff color. [Obs.] --Nares.
{Buff stick} (Mech.), a strip of wood covered with buff
   leather, used in polishing.

\Buff\, v. t.
To polish with a buff. See {Buff}, n., 5.

\Buff\, v. t. [OF. bufer to cuff, buffet. See {Buffet} a
blow.]
To strike. [Obs.] --B. Jonson.

\Buff\, n. [See {Buffet}.]
A buffet; a blow; -- obsolete except in the phrase
``Blindman's buff.''
      Nathless so sore a buff to him it lent That made him
      reel.                                    --Spenser.

\Buff\, a. [Of uncertain etymol.]
Firm; sturdy.
      And for the good old cause stood buff, 'Gainst many a
      bitter kick and cuff.                    --Hudibras.