goof
noun
- mistake or error
verb
- to dawdle; to spend time idly or foolishly
- mess up
- be silly, mess around, not be serious
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ɡuːf/
noun
Etymology: Perhaps from dialectal English goff (“foolish clown”), from earlier goffe, in which case further etymology is uncertain. Perhaps from Middle English goffen (“to speak in a frivolous manner”), possibly from Old English gaf, ġegaf (“base; wanton; lewd”, adjective), ġegaf (“buffoonery; scurrility”, noun), gaffetung, golfettung (“buffoonery; mockery”). Compare English dialectal gauffin (“lightheaded; foolish; giddy”), Scots gaff, gawf (“to talk loudly; babble”), Scots gaffaw (“a loud laugh”). Alternatively, perhaps from Middle French goffe (“awkward; stupid”). Compare also Spanish gofo, Italian goffo.
- A mistake or error.
“I made a goof in that last calculation.”
- A mistake or error.
- A foolish and/or silly person; a goofball.
“Your little brother is a total goof.”
- A rapist.
verb
Etymology: Perhaps from dialectal English goff (“foolish clown”), from earlier goffe, in which case further etymology is uncertain. Perhaps from Middle English goffen (“to speak in a frivolous manner”), possibly from Old English gaf, ġegaf (“base; wanton; lewd”, adjective), ġegaf (“buffoonery; scurrility”, noun), gaffetung, golfettung (“buffoonery; mockery”). Compare English dialectal gauffin (“lightheaded; foolish; giddy”), Scots gaff, gawf (“to talk loudly; babble”), Scots gaffaw (“a loud laugh”). Alternatively, perhaps from Middle French goffe (“awkward; stupid”). Compare also Spanish gofo, Italian goffo.
- To make a mistake.
“It's my fault. I goofed.”
“GCN is in a sticky situation because we goofed and bought 10 pounds of a type of wax that we cannot use.”
- To engage in mischief.
“We were just goofing by painting the neighbor's cat green.”