gaffe

gaffe
gaffe "blunder," 1909, perhaps from Fr. gaffe "clumsy remark," originally "boat hook," from M.Fr. gaffe (15c.), from O.Prov. gaf, probably from W.Goth. *gafa "hook," from P.Gmc. *gafa. Sense connection is obscure; the gaff was used to land big fish. Or it may derive from British slang gaff "to cheat, trick" (1893); or gaff "criticism" (1896), from Scottish dialect sense of "loud, rude talk" (see GAFF (Cf. gaff) (2)).

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • gaffe — gaffe …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • gaffe — 1. (ga f ) s. f. Longue perche à l extrémité de laquelle est fixée une pointe de fer garnie latéralement d un crochet. La gaffe sert à conduire le bateau, à sonder l eau, etc. •   Le baron descendit dans la barque.... saisit à défaut de rames une …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • gaffe — (g[a^]f), n. A socially awkward or tactless act. Syn: faux pas, solecism, slip, gaucherie. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • gaffé — gaffé, ée (ga fé, fée) part. passé de gaffer. Un gros poisson gaffé …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • gaffe — [gæf] n [Date: 1900 2000; : French; Origin: GAFF] an embarrassing mistake made in a social situation or in public = ↑faux pas ▪ The consul s comments were a major diplomatic gaffe …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • gaffe — /fr. ɡaf/ [fr., da gaffe «gancio»] s. f. inv. abbaglio, cantonata, errore, granchio, sproposito, topica …   Sinonimi e Contrari. Terza edizione

  • gaffe — /gaf/ s.f., fr. [der. di gaffer commettere un indelicatezza ], in ital. invar. [azione o espressione inopportuna, che crea imbarazzo negli altri: fare, commettere una g. ] ▶◀ (fam.) figuraccia, sproposito, (fam.) topica. ↑ errore, sbaglio …   Enciclopedia Italiana

  • gaffe — [ gæf ] noun count an embarrassing mistake that you make in public, especially one that offends or upsets someone: BLUNDER, FAUX PAS …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • gaffe — [n] mistake, goof blooper*, blunder, boner*, boo boo*, faux pas*, howler*, impropriety, indecorum, indiscretion, putting foot in mouth*, slip*, solecism; concepts 101,230 Ant. correction …   New thesaurus

  • gaffe — (pronunciamos gaf o gafe gaf o gafe ) sustantivo femenino 1. Origen: Uruguay. Error, equivocación por torpeza o descuido …   Diccionario Salamanca de la Lengua Española

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