subs. (old).—A fool; a stupid blunderer a conceited PUPPY (q.v.): also BUFFLE-HEAD and BUFF. Hence BUFFLE (or BUFFLEHEADED) = stupid; idiotic; foolish; blundering; conceited.
1580. Beehive of the Romish Churche, fo. 66b. An unlearned BUFFLE did babble.
1655. Comic History of Francion, iv., 22. He said to the three BUFFLES who stood with their hats in their hands. Tell me, you Waggs, etc.
1659. Lady Alimony, i., 2 (DODSLEY, Old Plays (HAZLITT), 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 278). Tim. What a drolling BUFFLEHEAD is this!
1663. PEPYS, Diary, March 17. But my Lord Mayor, a talking, bragging, BUFFLE-HEADED fellow.
1668. PEPYS, Diary, Jan. 29. He tells me that Townsend, of the Wardrobe, is the veriest knave and BUFFLE-HEAD that ever he saw.
1677. WYCHERLEY, The Plain Dealer, ii. Oliv. You know nothing, you BUFFLE-HEADED stupid creature you.
1686. D’URFEY, A Commonwealth of Women, I., i. A damn’d huffing fellow yonder, a Rebel, Whiggy BUFFLE HEAD.
1694. ECHARD, Plautus’s Comedies Made English, Why, you blockhead, you’ve almost thrown the door off the hinges. D’ye think our doors are made at the publick charge?—What makes you stare so, BUFFLEHEAD? What’s your business, I say? And who are ye?
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. BUFFLE-HEAD, a Foolish Fellow.
1710. Political Ballads (ed. Wilkins, 1860), II., 90. To see the chief attorney such a BUFFLE.
1754. B. MARTIN, English Dictionary, 2 ed. BUFFLE-HEAD, an ignoramus, or dull sot.
1883. BARING-GOULD, John Herring, II., xxv., 273. (Tauchnitz ed.) ‘A BUFFLE-HEADED sort of a chap,’ said Joyce.
1887. Dead Man’s Rock, I., v. Jonathan’s a BUFFLE-HEAD … a daft fule like Jonathan.
