What does daff mean?
Daff is a rare and largely archaic English verb meaning to turn something aside or push it away, typically in a casual, playful, or dismissive manner rather than with force. Its most famous appearance is in Shakespeare's Macbeth, where Banquo resolves to 'daff the world aside, and bid it pass' — a line that has kept the word alive in anthologies and scholarly commentary long after everyday use faded. The verb conveys a lightness of touch: to daff a matter aside is to wave it off, deflect it with a jest, or refuse to engage seriously. Found chiefly in British literature of earlier centuries, daff survives today as a curiosity valued by readers of Shakespeare and enthusiasts of obscure vocabulary. It is easily confused with the unrelated adjective daft, meaning foolish, though the two share nothing but visual resemblance. For anyone assembling a vocabulary of deft, unusual verbs, daff offers an elegant way to describe the art of brushing things off.
verbTo turn aside, push away, or put off; to set something casually or dismissively out of one's way.
- To turn or push something aside, especially dismissively or playfully
- (Archaic) To put off or delay; to cast off
"He would daff all serious advice aside with a jest."
"She daffed every objection aside and pressed on with the plan."
"In Macbeth, Banquo says he will 'daff the world aside, and bid it pass.'"
Shakespeare gave this tiny word its finest hour: in Macbeth, Banquo's line 'daff'd the world aside' makes 'daff' the verb for shrugging off life itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of daff
The origin of daff is uncertain; lexicographers have not established a secure root, and no reliable cognates can be confidently named. It appears in English usage by at least the late sixteenth century, when Shakespeare employed it in Macbeth (written around 1606), suggesting it was already an established if informal term. It remained in use into later centuries but gradually fell out of common speech, surviving mainly as a literary relic.
Usage notes
A rare, chiefly literary and archaic word found mainly in older British texts; modern readers meet it almost exclusively through Shakespeare. It carries a light, casual connotation rather than forceful rejection.
Don't confuse with
Daft is an adjective meaning silly or foolish, while daff is a verb meaning to turn something aside.