different between taffy vs affy

English

Alternative forms

• toffee (see usage notes)

Etymology

Probably related to tafia (“kind of rum”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?tæ.fi/
• Rhymes: -æfi

Noun

taffy (countable and uncountable, plural taffies)

1. (US) A soft, chewy candy made from boiled sugar, molasses, or corn syrup and butter.
2. (informal) Flattery.
   • 1881, Mark Twain, Unfinished Burlesque on Books of Etiquette:

     ... if these statistices should seem to fail to tally with the facts, in places, do not nudge your neighbor, or press your foot upon his toes, or manifest, by any other sign, your awareness that taffy is being distributed.

Usage notes

• Taffy is a soft candy invented in the United States and known as "chews" or "chewy sweets" in the United Kingdom. It is not to be confused with toffee.

Derived terms

Translations

References

• “taffy”, in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary, (Please provide a date or year).

English

Etymology 1

From Anglo-Norman afier, from Late Latin affidare.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??fa?/
• Rhymes: -a?

Verb

affy (third-person singular simple present affies, present participle affying, simple past and past participle affied)

1. (obsolete, intransitive) To trust (in someone or something); to rely (on). [14th-17th c.]
   • c. 1590, William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus, First Folio 1623, I.1:

     Marcus Andronicus, so I do affie / In thy vprightnesse and Integrity […]

2. (obsolete, transitive) To promise to marry (someone); to be engaged to. [16th-17th c.]
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, IV.8:

     He, though affide unto a former love, / To whom his faith he firmely ment to hold, / […] Her graunted love, but with affection cold […]

Etymology 2

Shortening of affidavit.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?æfi/
• Rhymes: -æfi

Noun

affy (plural affies)

1. (slang) An affidavit to be signed by a contest winner to confirm eligibility.
   • 1997, "Sandretto", Singapore Contest.... (on newsgroup alt.consumers.sweepstakes)

     If you have won a monthly prize, they will send you an affy and have you send it back. Then your prize comes from a courier.

   • 1999, "Suzy", Any BIG winners? (on newsgroup alt.consumers.sweepstakes)

     The contest ended in mid November, I got the affy Christmas eve, and I picked up the car February 4th or 5th.