Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 1976 and 2005 supplements.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1711, 1808-1996
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GUFF, n.2, v.2 Also gouff, guf, gof(f); ¶guft (w.Sc. 1887 Jam.). [Sc. gʌf, but Mry., Bnff., Fif. + gʌuf]
I. n. 1. A smell, an odour, a whiff, gen. applied to a disagreeable smell (Mry. 1813 W. Leslie Agric. Mry. 457; Bnff., Cld. 1880 Jam., gouff). Gen.Sc.; an act of smelling. Also fig. Deriv. guffage, a stench (Abd. 1947) [gʌ′fɑdȝ].Sc. 1808 Jam.:
One is said to have an ill guff, or a strong guff, when one's breath savours of something disagreeable.Abd. 1832 W. Scott Poems 74:
An ony rate the lass began to snuff The thrummie en' o' some uncuthie guff.Fif. 1864 W. D. Latto T. Bodkin ii.:
"Did ye find ony smell?" inquired Mrs Sooter. . . . "I canna juist be a' thegither certain, but I'm far cheatit if I faund na a slicht guff when they cam' in at the door."Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 68:
"His breath hiz the gouff o' tabaca." "There's a terrible gouff comin' up oot o' that drain."Ork. 1880 Dennison Sketch-Bk. 58:
The guff o'd t'rou de hoose deud me geud.Per. 1895 R. Ford Tayside Songs 291:
Whae'er can say, wi' conscience clear, The guff o't's gude ava, sirs?Sh. 1898 Shetland News (28 May):
Da guff o't is eneugh ta shock [choke] ony white man.Abd. 1921 R. L. Cassie Doric Ditties 17:
Awa' in caul' Buchan we hae a fu' spleuchan O' aul'-farran words wi' a guff o' the Norseman.Ags. 1952 Forfar Dispatch (17 April):
Fowk says the water's stinkin and we did get a guff at gloamin but that wiz the only time.ne.Sc. 1991 Ken Morrice in Tom Hubbard The New Makars 59:
Sae dabbit wi floor and stew,
wi guff o yeast, a duntin nieve
and sweaty broo,
I wroch and wrastle
wi the hail stramash Ags. 1993 Mary McIntosh in Joy Hendry Chapman 74-5 112:
The fousome guff wis like tae mak him boak but he chockit it back. m.Sc. 1996 Christopher Brookmyre Quite Ugly One Morning (1997) 2:
From the overture of fresh vomit whiff that greeted you at the foot of the close stairs, through the mustique of barely cold urine on the landing, to the tear-gas, fist-in-face guard-dog of guff that savaged anyone entering the flat, it just told you how much fun this case would be.
Hence guffie, gufsy, adj., smelly (Ork. 1929 Marw.; Abd., Ags., Fif., Slk. 1955).
2. A savour, taste, after-taste (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Rxb. 1955). Also fig., taste, "tone", gentility. Slang. Hence guffless, tasteless, unpalatable.Sc. 1711 Edb. Ev. Post (20–22 Nov.):
There's good Spirits Distelled from the best of Malt . . . not having Guff in the Stomach, or Smell.Lnk. 1813 G. MacIndoe Wandering Muse 44:
An thrice had Lucky ta'en the nod, To mend her guffless liquor.Edb. 1949 F. Urquhart The Ferret v. xv.:
I must have my cake-stand, it gies the table some guff!
3. A puff, a whiff, a current, e.g. of wind, vapour, smoke, air (Sc. 1818 Sawers; w.Sc. 1887 Jam.; Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); Ork. 1922 J. Firth Reminisc. 151; I.Sc., Abd., Ags., Fif. (gowff), Ayr., Uls. 1955); a state of excitement, a giddy rushing about. For comb. rummly goff, see Rummle, v., 2. (3) (iii) (a). Dim. guffie.Ags. 1853 W. Blair Chron. Aberbrothock ix.:
The smell o' the roastit beef cam' in wi' a great guff.Bnff. 1920 J. Mitchell Jeannie Lowrie 11:
A guff o' caul', a hackin' hoast.Abd. 1923 R. L. Cassie Heid or Hert 24:
Nae ae wee guffie o' win' meev't the air. Bit Allan wusna carin' a hair for the heat.Sc. 1928 J. G. Horne Lan'wart Loon 18:
An' than a gouff o' caller air Liftit his clammy taiglt hair.
II. v. To give off (a smell, steam, smoke, etc.) (Sh. 1908 Jak. (1928); Ork., Ags., Slg., Fif. 1955).Ork. 1929 Marw.:
Boiled skate is said to guff.
