different between gaff vs misspeak

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?æf/
• Rhymes: -æf

Etymology 1

From Middle English gaffe, from Old French gaffe, from Old Occitan gaf (“hook”), derivative of gafar (“to seize”), from Gothic ????????????????- (gaff-) derived from ???????????????????? (giban, “to give”). Doublet of gaffe.

Noun

gaff (countable and uncountable, plural gaffs)

1. A tool consisting of a large metal hook with a handle or pole, especially the one used to pull large fish aboard a boat.

   Synonym: hakapik

   • 1997, Mark Kurlansky, Cod: a Biography of the Fish That Changed the World:

     When Leonard finally hauls up a cod of seventy-five centimeters, probably seven years old, a typical catch ten years ago, they all joke, "Oh my God, get the gaff!"

2. A minor error or faux pas, a gaffe.

3. A trick or con.

4. (nautical) The upper spar used to control a gaff-rigged sail.
5. A garment worn to hide the genitals.
6. (informal, uncountable) Clipping of gaffer tape.

Translations

Verb

gaff (third-person singular simple present gaffs, present participle gaffing, simple past and past participle gaffed)

1. To use a gaff, especially to land a fish.
2. To cheat or hoax.
3. (transitive) To doctor or modify for deceptive purposes.
   • 1993, Betty Lou Wolfe, ?Marian Jean Gray, The Way We Were: Reflections from the 1930's (page 23)

     When the operator began losing, he gaffed the wheel and then the patron had no chance to win. With his secret device an experienced grifter could stop the wheel at will on any number.

   • 1977, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin (volume 46, issue 9, page 8)

     However, this apathy will quickly disappear if it is learned the friendly game involves marked (gaffed) cards.

   • 1989, Penn & Teller's Cruel Tricks for Dear Friends (page 96)

     You will be using gaffed cards: a double faced card.

4. (slang) To gamble.
5. (transitive, informal) To affix gaffer tape to, or cover with gaffer tape.

Translations

Derived terms

• gaffer

Etymology 2

Perhaps from Old English gafspr?c (“buffoonery, scurrility; blasphemous or ribald speech”), from Old English gaf (“base, vile, lewd”) + Old English spr?c (“language, speech, talk”)

Noun

gaff

1. Rough or harsh treatment; criticism.
2. (dated) An outcry; nonsense.

Derived terms

• blow the gaff

Etymology 3

Unknown. Possibly from Etymology 1, via a sense of “a place that will be robbed” in criminal argot; possibly from Etymology 2, via a sense of "cheap theatre"; possibly from Romani gav (“village”) (whence German Kaff (“village”)).

Alternative forms

• gaf

Noun

gaff (plural gaffs)

1. (Britain, especially Manchester and Cockney, Ireland, slang, Glaswegian) A place of residence.

   We're going round to Mike's gaff later to watch the footie.

Anagrams

• aff'g

English

Etymology

From Middle English misspeken, mispeken, mysspeken, from Old English *misspecan, missprecan (“to murmur”), equivalent to mis- +? speak.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /m?s?spi?k/

Verb

misspeak (third-person singular simple present misspeaks, present participle misspeaking, simple past misspoke, past participle misspoken)

1. (transitive, intransitive, chiefly US) To fail to pronounce, utter, or speak correctly.
2. (intransitive, obsolete) To speak insultingly or disrespectfully.

Translations