Talk Like a Brit: ‘Chuffed’

Throughout the Olympic eventing competition, multiple British or British-based riders used the expression “chuffed” or “chuffed to bits” to describe their performance. Which got us to thinking: Say what?

A few examples:

“I’m chuffed to bits for him (her horse, High Kingdom).” Zara Phillips in People magazine

“He’s such a talented horse, I’m chuffed to bits.” Nicola Wilson in a British Olympic Association press release

“I’m chuffed with him, but there’s two more days of competition.” Mark Todd in the Chronicle of the Horse

“Compared to WEG, I was chuffed to bits!” Mary King in Horse & Hound

So, we looked it up on Dictionary.com:

chuffed: adj  \chuftd\ delighted; pleased; satisfied.

Careful, though. “Chuffed” carries a far different meaning than the word “chuff” (used to describe someone who is rude and insensitive, or as a synonym for the buttocks) or “chuffing” (a euphemism for another four-letter slang word that begins with the letter “f”).

As such:

“I’m chuffed with my dressage test” is not the same as “I’m so glad to be done with my chuffing dressage test” or “That dressage judge was a chuff.”

Well, hope you’ve enjoyed today’s edition of  “Talk Like a Brit.” Cheerio! (That’s British for, “Farewell!”)

[Photo: Wikimedia Commons]