Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A person regarded as stupid or clumsy.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun In popular superstition, a changeling; a foolish or otherwise defective child left by fairies in the place of another carried off by them.
- noun A dolt; an idiot; a blockhead; a simpleton.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Originally, an elf's child; a changeling left by fairies or goblins; hence, a deformed or foolish child; a simpleton; an idiot.
- noun A clumsy or awkward person.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun obsolete An
elf 'schild ; achangeling left by fairies or goblins, hence, adeformed orfoolish child. - noun pejorative A person, especially a large male, who is
clumsy or asimpleton ; anidiot .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun an awkward stupid person
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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This bulbous oaf is richer than his breakfast cheesecake.
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We are only groping toward the effective expression oaf democratic doctrine, and today what do we see?
Is Democracy Outworn 1937
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If you don't make her warm enough for wiving, you're an oaf, which is not in my blood -- nor your mother's, to be honest.
The Highwayman 1919
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He pleads his dependence upon the word oaf God and his obedient regard to its directions: Quicken and deliver me according to thy word of promise, for I do not forget thy precepts.
Commentary on the Whole Bible Volume III (Job to Song of Solomon) 1721
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Anagram for "oaf," from the man who famously took the "oaf of office."
Obama wants to turn his "YouTubing-Facebooking-texting-Twittering grass-roots organization ... into an instrument of government." Ann Althouse 2009
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His expression indicated that he’d never in his life been called an oaf.
Deep Kiss Of Winter Kresley Cole 2009
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The 'oaf' is apparently entertaining the troops in Afghanistan and staying in an operational post not in Kabul.
Army Rumour Service 2009
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The 'oaf' is apparently entertaining the troops in Afghanistan and staying in an operational post not in Kabul.
Army Rumour Service 2009
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The 'oaf' is apparently entertaining the troops in Afghanistan and staying in an operational post not in Kabul.
Army Rumour Service 2009
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We stare at each other for countless seconds, then he bends down and drives an 'oaf' from me when his shoulder meets my belly a bit harder than is really necessary.
Wraithbait 2009
chained_bear commented on the word oaf
This has to be one of the best words ever.
February 2, 2007
elgiad007 commented on the word oaf
This word reminds me of pounding bread dough (or getting punched in the gut).
November 15, 2008
reesetee commented on the word oaf
My brother uses oof for exactly that sound. (He does it quite well. The sound, not the punching.)
November 15, 2008