Biffing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Striking something or someone with a strong blow ; failing to connect with or hit a intended target
2. Delivering a hard punch or hit ; not successfully reaching or achieving a goal or mark
3. Hitting sharply or pounding ; missing the mark or not succeeding at an attempt

Etymology: "Biffing" is the present participle of "biff," a verb whose history is simple and sound-driven: it is onomatopoeic, meaning it was formed to imitate the noise of a blow. The thud and sharp smack of a hard strike are packed into its short, clipped sound, and the same impression lies behind many similar English words for hitting. The verb's two senses, a sharp blow or pounding and a miss or failed attempt, both grow naturally from that origin. The first is the direct sound of striking. The second, failing or missing the mark, seems to be a looser extension of the idea of a clumsy, ineffective swing, though the exact path is not documented in the source.

Synonyms: hitting, striking, punching

Antonyms: missing, avoiding