Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1866
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PEFF, n., v., adv.
I. n. 1. A dull, heavy blow or thud, the noise so made, a heavy footfall (Bnf. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 123).
2. A clumsy, stupid person, a dolt, clodhopper (Ib.).
II. v., tr. To beat, strike, thump with dull, heavy blows; also with preps. in, doon, ower, etc. (Ib.); vbl.n. peffan, a beating, drubbing; intr. to fall over heavily; to walk in a heavy-footed, clumsy way, to clump along. Deriv. peffin, a stout heavy-footed person, a clumsy lump (Ib.).Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 123:
Peff in the pile. Peff doon that stane. Sic a peffan's he did get.
III. adv. In a dull, heavy manner, in a clumsy heavy-footed way, with a thud (Ib.).
[Variant of Beff, n.1, Beff, n.2, and Beff,v.]You may wish to vary the format shown below depending on the citation style used.
"Peff n., v., adv.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/peff>
