muff

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a tube of fur or warm fabric into which both hands are placed for warmth

   She carried a velvet muff to keep her hands warm during the sleigh ride.

2. 2
   verb

   to handle something clumsily or spoil an opportunity through error

   He muffed his opening line but recovered quickly.

3. 3
   noun

   in sport, a failure to catch or control a ball cleanly

   The receiver's muff gave the opposing team possession.

The clothing noun entered English in the sixteenth century from French moufle, "mitten," ultimately of Germanic origin. The verb developed later from the idea of clumsy or ineffective handling, producing the sporting noun for a failed catch.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images