[ See Buffalo. ] (Zool.) A small duck (Charitonetta albeola); the spirit duck, or butterball. The head of the male is covered with numerous elongated feathers, and thus appears large. Called also bufflehead. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Prop a striker. See Buffet a blow. ] 1. (Mech.) (a) An elastic apparatus or fender, for deadening the jar caused by the collision of bodies; as, a buffer at the end of a railroad car. (b) A pad or cushion forming the end of a fender, which receives the blow; -- sometimes called buffing apparatus. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who polishes with a buff. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A wheel for buffing; a buff. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A good-humored, slow-witted fellow; -- usually said of an elderly man. [ Colloq. ] Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Chem.) a substance or mixture of substances which can absorb or neutralize a certain quantity of acid or base and thus keep the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a solution (as measured by pH) relatively stable. Sometimes the term is used in a medical context to mean antacid. [ PJC ]

6. (Computers) a data storage device or portion of memory used to temporarily store input or output data until the receiving device is ready to process it. [ PJC ]

7. any object or person that shields another object or person from harm, shock, or annoyance; as, the President's staff is his buffer from constant interruptions of his work. [ PJC ]

v. t. (Chem.) to add a buffer{ 5 } to (a solution), so as to reduce unwanted fluctuation of acidity. [ PJC ]

a. (Chem.) containing a buffer{ 5 }; -- of solutions, usually aqueous solutions. [ PJC ]

n. The head of a buffer, which recieves the concussion, in railroad carriages. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ trademark. ] a brand of aspirin tablets coated with a substance capable of neutralizing acid (a “buffer”); -- sometimes applied generically to any buffered aspirin preparation.
Syn. -- buffered aspirin. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ F. buffet, LL. bufetum; of uncertain origin; perh. fr. the same source as E. buffet a blow, the root meaning to puff, hence (cf. puffed up) the idea of ostentation or display. ] 1. A cupboard or set of shelves, either movable or fixed at one side of a room, for the display of plate, china, etc., a sideboard. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not when a gilt buffet's reflected pride
Turns you from sound philosophy aside. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A counter for food or refreshments. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Hence: A restaurant containing such a counter, as at a railroad station, or place of public gathering. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A meal set out on a buffet[ 2 ], arranged so that guests may serve themselves and choose those items that they desire; as, a buffet dinner. Diners usually take a plate provided and move in a line past the items on the buffet[ 2 ], placing those items they desire on the plate, to be eaten at some convenient place. [ PJC ]

n. [ OE. buffet, boffet, OF. buffet a slap in the face, a pair of bellows, fr. buffe blow, cf. F. bouffer to blow, puff; prob. akin to E. puff. For the meaning slap, blow, cf. F. soufflet a slap, souffler to blow. See Puff, v. i., and cf. Buffet sidebroad, Buffoon ] 1. A blow with the hand; a slap on the face; a cuff. [ 1913 Webster ]

When on his cheek a buffet fell. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A blow from any source, or that which affects like a blow, as the violence of winds or waves; a stroke; an adverse action; an affliction; a trial; adversity. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those planks of tough and hardy oak that used for yeas to brave the buffets of the Bay of Biscay. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Fortune's buffets and rewards. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A small stool; a stool for a buffet or counter. [ 1913 Webster ]

Go fetch us a light buffet. Townely Myst. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Buffeted; p. pr. & vb. n. Buffeting. ] [ OE. buffeten, OF. buffeter. See the preceding noun. ] 1. To strike with the hand or fist; to box; to beat; to cuff; to slap. [ 1913 Webster ]

They spit in his face and buffeted him. Matt. xxvi. 67. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To affect as with blows; to strike repeatedly; to strive with or contend against; as, to buffet the billows. [ 1913 Webster ]

The sudden hurricane in thunder roars,
Buffets the bark, and whirls it from the shores. Broome. [ 1913 Webster ]

You are lucky fellows who can live in a dreamland of your own, instead of being buffeted about the world. W. Black. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. [ Cf. Buffer. ] To deaden the sound of (bells) by muffling the clapper. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To exercise or play at boxing; to strike; to smite; to strive; to contend. [ 1913 Webster ]

If I might buffet for my love, or bound my horse for her favors, I could lay on like a butcher. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make one's way by blows or struggling. [ 1913 Webster ]

Strove to buffet to land in vain. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]