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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

GAFF, n., v. Also gauf(f), gaaf; gaave, gyauve (Abd.), †gawf(f), †gaulf. [gɑ(:)f, gǫf, g(j)ɑ:v]

I. n. 1. A loud, boisterous laugh, a guffaw (Sc. 1698 J. Kirkwood Plea before Kirk 73, gaff; Sc. 1808 Jam., gaulf; Ayr. 1811 W. Aiton Agric. Ayr., Gl. 692, gaff, gaave, 1900 E.D.D.; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.; Bnff.² 1946), a gale (of laughter).Abd. 1768 A. Ross Helenore 104:
An' tho' poor Lindy look't but half an' half, Yet Bydby answer'd wi' a blythsome gauff.Peb. 1793 R. D. C. Brown Carlop Green (1817) ii. lxxxvi.:
Tae geeggles, girns, loud-clappan' hands, And gawfs frae young and bauld.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 18:
Great gaulfs o' lauchter aye resound In ilka corner.Abd. 1852 A. Robb Poems 30:
I got a hearty gaff Whan I your letter read.Sh. 1922 J. Inkster Mansie's Röd 106:
Ithin a peerie meenit we heard spaekin'. Dan a gaff o' lauchter.Sc.(E) 1936 J. G. Horne Flooer o' the Ling 12:
Wi' a' the steer an' gab an' gaff Their hunger felt like warkin aff.

†2. “Loud, rude talk, impertinence” (Cld. 1880 Jam., gaff).

II. v. 1. To laugh loudly and immoderately, to guffaw (Sh. 1914 Angus Gl., gaff; Abd. 1924 Swatches o' Hamespun 63, gyauve; Abd.² 1946).Sc. 1721 Ramsay Poems (S.T.S.) I. 186:
Who gart the Lieges gawff and girn ay, Aft till the Cock proclaim'd the Morn.Sc. 1777 Weekly Mag. (3 July) 21:
Fu' aften hae I read, wi' meikle glee, The doins o' our troops ayont the sea, An' gauf'd hail glomings as I watch'd the beasts.Fif. 1827 W. Tennant Papistry Storm'd 65:
He never blindit in his daffin', Fliskin' like fire about, and gaffin'.Mry. 1865 W. H. L. Tester Poems 152:
“Dead!” gauff'd Meg — “the fient a fear.”Kcd. 1890 Stonehaven Jnl. (22 May) 3:
The fouk gat a surprise fan they saw Prince Albert takin' notice o' Johnnie Nukkle, an' gauf't and leugh.Edb. 1894 P. H. Hunter J. Inwick v.:
“What's the maitter wi' ye, An'ra?” says I, . . . “What are ye gawfin an' bletherin there aboot?”Sc.(E) 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 10:
Wha oxtert 'im frae oot the crood, Gaffin' an' kecklin' lang an' lood.Sh. 1949 New Shetlander No. 18. 47:
While his aim was to makk folk gaaf, he could as easily have written in a more serious vein.

†2. To babble, chatter; “to talk loudly and merrily” (Rxb. 1825 Jam.). Also found in Eng. dial. Ppl.adj. gauffin, “lightheaded, foolish, thoughtless, giddy” (Ib.).Slk. 1801 Hogg Sc. Pastorals 20:
But man'tis queer to mak sik fike About an useless gauffin tike.wm.Sc. 1827 T. Hamilton Cyril Thornton (1848) vi.:
My uncle . . . as the matron pronounced the last sentence of her apologetical oration . . . lost no time in stopping it, by desiring her gruffly, “To haud her gaffin, and rax the Madeira.”Slk. 1829 Hogg Shepherd's Cal. I. ii.:
Do ye imagine I'm gaun to hae a' my clippers and grippers, buisters and binders, laid half idle, gaffing and giggling wi' you?

Hence gaffer, a loquacious person, a babbler (Rxb. 1802 J. Sibbald Chron. Sc. Poetry, Gl.; 1825 Jam.).