Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1941 (SND Vol. II).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1808-1923
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BUFF, n.5 In phrs.: 1. neither buff nor stye, neither one thing nor another, nothing at all, buff or sty, anything at all (Abd.22, Fif.10, Dmb. 1936 (per Lnk.3)); 2. to say buff till ane's blanket, to cast aspersions upon anyone. Cf. to say bo to your blanket, s.v. Bo, int.1. Sc. 1808 Jam.:
He cou'd neither say buff nor stye, i.e. "He could neither say one thing nor another."Sc. 1831 S. E. Ferrier Destiny I. xiv.:
I don't deprive you of your son, or your son of anything he has any right to, so neither you nor he has any business to say buff or sty in the matter.Lth. 1831–1841 "J. Strathesk" More Bits from Blinkbonny (1885) i.:
The letters are . . . that ravelled that ye can neither make buff nor stye o' them.Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.:
A care naither buff nor stye for 'im.
Used as a verb: to do or say nothing.Ayr. 1823 Galt Entail li.:
He was clean dementit at that time . . . he would neither buff nor stye for father nor mother, friend nor foe.2. Ags.(D) 1890 Brechin Advertiser (15 July) 3/5:
An' naebody will ever say buff till her blanket.
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"Buff n.5". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 16 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/buff_n5>
