miffed
miffed — adjective
1. in a small bad mood because someone has done something rude, thoughtless, or unf
in a small bad mood because someone has done something rude, thoughtless, or unfair to you
Tariro was miffed that her brother ate the last slice of birthday cake without asking.
be miffed that + clause for a specific cause of upset
Sivan felt a bit miffed about not being invited to the team lunch on Friday.
be miffed about + noun phrase for the trigger of the feeling
The neighbours seemed miffed when Rodrigo parked his van across both driveways.
Esme looked slightly miffed after the waiter brought her cold coffee twice in a row.
Honestly, I'd be miffed too if a friend forgot my birthday three years running.
文法句型
be miffed about + noun phrase
be miffed that + clause
feel miffed
用法筆記
Predicative only — say 'she was miffed', not 'a miffed customer'. The cause is usually small and personal (a snub, a rude remark, being overlooked), not a serious wrong.
常見錯誤
miffed — verb
1. to cause someone to feel a small flash of bad mood, usually through a careless o
to cause someone to feel a small flash of bad mood, usually through a careless or rude action
Min was miffed by the receptionist's sharp tone at the dentist's office.
passive: be miffed by + cause; most common pattern
It clearly miffed Gita that the meeting started without her.
it + miff + somebody + that-clause for a specific trigger
Last-minute changes to the schedule miff the older volunteers more than anyone admits.
Élise apologised quickly, worried that her joke had miffed Matthew at dinner.
文法句型
be miffed by + noun phrase
miff + somebody
用法筆記
The verb form is much rarer than the adjective 'miffed'. Native speakers almost always reach for 'annoy' or 'upset' in active sentences; the verb mostly survives in passive constructions ('was miffed by…').
常見錯誤
miffed — noun
1. a short, small bad mood that comes after something rude or unfair happens to you
a short, small bad mood that comes after something rude or unfair happens to you
Shirin walked out in a miff because nobody had saved her a seat at lunch.
in a miff: prepositional phrase showing the state
Grandpa Hao was in such a miff over the lost remote that he wouldn't talk for an hour.
in a miff + over + cause; intensifier 'such a'
The whole class was in a miff after the teacher cancelled the trip without warning.
Lotte gets into a miff if the toast is even a little burnt at breakfast.
- good mood
the opposite state, expressed as a noun phrase
文法句型
in a miff
have a miff
throw a miff
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'in a miff'. The standalone noun ('he had a miff') sounds dated to modern speakers; use the prepositional phrase or rephrase with 'bad mood' or 'sulk'.
常見錯誤
2. a small, short argument between people who usually get along, often about someth
a small, short argument between people who usually get along, often about something not very important
Amihan and her sister had a small miff over whose turn it was to walk the dog.
have a miff over + cause; siblings as classic context
There was a brief miff between the two coaches about the seating on the team bus.
a miff between + two people; about + topic
The book club survived a small miff over which novel to read in December.
Tariro and her flatmate are over their little miff about the dishes from last week.
- reconciliation
the end-state after a miff is resolved
文法句型
have a miff with somebody
a miff between two people
a miff over something
用法筆記
Distinct from sense 1: this sense is a two-sided event between people, not one person's mood. The argument is typically minor and quickly forgotten; for a serious disagreement, use 'argument', 'quarrel', or 'row'.