Bluffed

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /blʌft/

Definitions

1. Tricked someone by pretending to have a stronger position or hand ; behaved confidently to mislead or intimidate others
2. Misled another by making a false show of strength or confidence ; took bold actions to create a deceptive impression
3. Fooled people through false appearances of power or assurance ; acted with daring to confuse or frighten opponents

Etymology: "Bluffed" is the past tense of "bluff," so the story belongs to the verb. The likeliest source is Dutch, where "bluffen" meant "to brag," and the Middle Dutch "bluffen" meant "to make something swell," an image of puffing oneself up. Some etymologists instead trace it to the Dutch noun "bluf," also meaning bragging, and the origin is not settled. The sense of putting on a show of strength you do not have seems to have grown out of that boastful swelling. The word may also be onomatopoeic, perhaps echoing "blow" and "puff," which would fit a noise of air being blown out. A related German verb, "verblüffen," meant "to stump" or "perplex," so the idea of catching someone off guard runs alongside the idea of boasting.

Synonyms: deceived, bamboozled

Antonyms: revealed, unmasked