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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NIFFNAFF, v., n. Also nifnaf(f), gniff-gnaff (Ags. 1924 Sc. Tongue 149), nyiff-nyaff; deriv. form niffy-naffie. [′n(j)ɪf′n(j)ɑf]

I. v. To trifle, dilly-dally, to talk or act frivolously (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; ‡Sh. 1964). Ppl.adj. nifnafan, trifling, fiddling. Also in Nhb. dial. Hence niffy-naffy, fussy, fastidious, finicking (Rxb. 1923 Watson W.-B.).Sc. 1724 Ramsay T.-T. Misc. (1871) I. 72:
Dear lassie, it is but daffin', To had thy wooer up aye niff-naffin.Sc. 1813 The Scotchman 94:
It shaws him to be a nifnafan taupie.Rxb. 1815 J. Ruickbie Poems 97:
Some toil'd for meal, an' some for maut, While some were just niff-naffin'.Edb. 1828 M. & M. Corbett Odd Volume 249:
He has nae friends coming in niff-naffing wi' you, and finding faut.Gall. 1881 L. B. Walford Dick Netherby v.:
Dick neither “set himself up” in his ways, nor “niffy-naffied” with his tongue.Ayr. 1892 J.C.C.B. A. Boyd's Cracks 28:
Ae nicht — a Saturday — Will had been kept Niffnaffin' at Dalry.

II. n. 1. A small, insignificant person or thing, a trifle, tit-bit, knick-knack (Sc. 1808 Jam.; Uls. 1953 Traynor; Sh., Bnff., Lnk. 1964). Also in abbreviated form niffie. Found in n.Eng. dial.Slk. 1822 Hogg Perils of Man II. vii.:
“Wha's this strippling that rides the good dun mare?” “That's my bit niff-naff of a callant.”Slk. 1827 Hogg Shepherd's Cal. vi.:
Keatie, whaten a niff-naff of a glass is this? let us see a feasible ane.Sc. 1834 Chambers's Jnl. (Feb.) 9:
A kind of monomaniacs, who will spend a lifetime, and travel hundreds of miles, in disseminating niff-naffs.Ags. 1893 Brechin Advertiser (14 Feb.) 3:
My chield am raither fleyed that ye're a leein' niffie.s.Sc. 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws i.:
Your mither . . . well nigh pu'd the lugs frae my head for letting sic a niff-naff of a lad as you waur at the time ride wi' us.Sc. 1929 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 13:
He's aye sendin' niff-naffs like that to Leeb.Ork. 1930:
I want nane o your nyiff-nyaffs; juist gae me due diets — me mornin-piece an me brakfast, an me twal-piece an me denner, an me eenin-piece an me supper!

2. The bark of a small dog (Sc. a.1838 Jam. MSS. X. 215). Cf. Nyaff.Sc. 1826 Blackwood's Mag. (Oct.) 583:
The barking of curs, from the gruff big bow-wow of the mastiff, down to the nyiff-nyaff and yelp-yelp of the terrier.

3. In pl.: whims, caprices, fussiness of disposition (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Hence niff-naffy, fussy, finicky, fastidious.Sc. 1815 Scott Guy M. xli.v.:
Thae niff-naffy gentles that gae sae muckle fash wi' their fancies.