What does cuffed mean?
"Cuffed" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "cuff," carrying three related meanings in English. Most commonly in modern usage, it describes the act of placing handcuffs on someone, as when police officers detain a suspect. It can also mean striking a person with an open hand, typically a light blow — a sense that appears frequently in older literature and still survives in informal British and American English, often suggesting playful or scolding contact rather than serious violence. Finally, it refers to folding or turning up the hem of a sleeve or trouser leg for style or practicality, giving us phrases like "cuffed jeans." The word is informal to neutral in register and appears widely in crime writing, journalism, and everyday conversation about clothing.
verb (past participle and past tense of cuff)Past tense and past participle of the verb "cuff": to strike someone with an open hand, usually lightly; to place handcuffs on a person; or to turn up or fasten the end of a sleeve or trouser leg.
- To have placed handcuffs on someone (police usage).
- To have struck someone with an open hand, especially lightly or playfully.
- To have turned up or fastened the hem of a garment such as trousers or sleeves.
"The officer cuffed the suspect and read him his rights."
"The detective cuffed him without a word."
"She cuffed the boy's ear affectionately as he passed."
One word, three lives: cuffed can mean slapped, arrested, or just stylishly turned-up jeans.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cuffed
The verb "cuff" meaning to strike dates from the early 16th century and is of uncertain origin, possibly related to the noun "cuff" meaning a blow. Its use for handcuffs developed by extension of the noun "cuff" referring to the end of a sleeve, which itself derives from Middle French "couffe," likely from medieval Latin "cupha," ultimately linked to Greek "kophos" (blunt, dull). The garment-hemming sense emerged later, tied directly to the sleeve-end meaning.
Related word forms
How cuffed is actually used
Common in informal speech and police/crime reporting. The sense of striking with an open hand is somewhat old-fashioned or literary today, while handcuffing dominates modern usage.
Easily confused with cuffed
"Coiffed" means having one's hair styled, while "cuffed" means struck, handcuffed, or having folded hems.