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 6 Feb 2026 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/peff>
