faff

plural faffs

1. CommonwealthIrelandUKslangAn overcomplicated task, especially one perceived as a waste of time.First known use 20th century

   Adjusting this television is a bit of a faff.

   4 more examples

   God it must be a faff having to get nigh-on naked every time your bladder runneth over, and imagine how much worse it must be if you only have a 20-second break to run off stage to the loo.

   2007 November 27, Hadley Freeman, “Miaow!”, in The Guardian

   Breakfast in bed at the royal household is a massive faff. A page boy must carry the tray upstairs, but he's banned from actually serving it. So he leaves it on the floor by the bedroom door, whereupon a housemaid picks it up and knocks on said portal.

   2011, Patrick Kingsley, “Life with the Queen Mum revealed”, in The Guardian

   The fuss and faff meant Christmas had long since been drained of any joy and excitement.

   2017, Andi Watson, Glister, →ISBN

   The show is a carefully curated manifesto of “social success without faff”.

   2023 September 23, Tim Hayward, “Not so easy does it”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 19

   Synonyms: annoyance, bother, grievance, hassle, inconvenience, irritation, nuisance, palaver

2. typically 'in a faff'A state of confused or frantic activity.First known use 1880s

   She's in a total faff about tonight's dinner party.

   1 more example

   I knew May would be in a faff, and I was right. […] Half an hour later (still with plenty of time because I’d known there would be this fuss) we left with May clad in black.

   2010, Margaret Forster, Isa & May, page 38

   Synonyms: flap

3. UKobsoleteA puff of smoke; a gust of wind.First known use 19th century

   “Shut t’ door, wilt-tu,” said Widow Goggin sharply; “thou’rt letting in faffs o’ wind. And tak’ thi shawl off.”

   1900, Emma Frances Brooke, The Engrafted Rose: A Novel, page 27

present singular third person faffs · participle present faffing · participle past faffed · past faffed

1. colloquialintransitiveTo blow in puffs, blow gently.First known use 18th century
2. archaictransitiveTo move (something) with a puff of air, to blow away.First known use 19th century

   Time wi’ his scythe hed mawn t’crop on his heead, An’ then fafft it away wi’ his wing.

   1949, W.J. Halliday, Arthur Stanley Umpleby, The White Rose Garland, page 104

3. AustraliaIrelandNew ZealandUKintransitiveTo waste time on an unproductive activity.First known use 19th century

   Stop Faffing And Just Do It

   2009, Steven Aitchison, 100 Ways to Develop Your Mind, page 131

   1 more example

   Frontier knows you're going to be spending a lot of time building coasters and faffing with scenery, so it doesn't want you fighting fires constantly.

   2025 February 28, Rick Lane, “Review: Planet Coaster 2”, in PC Gamer (US), number 392, page 69; published online 1 November 2024

   Synonyms: arse around, dick around