bluff
bluff — 動詞
- bluffpresent simple I / you / we / they
- bluffshe / she / it
- bluffedpast simple
- bluffing-ing form
1. to fool someone by acting as if you are stronger, better informed, ready to act,
唬人
靠裝懂、裝強或假身分騙人
to fool someone by acting as if you are stronger, better informed, ready to act, or even a different person
Nora bluffed the border guard by flashing an old hotel badge.
Nora 拿出舊旅館識別證，唬過了邊境警衛。
bluff someone with a false sign of authority
Eric kept bluffing at the card table, though his hand was weak.
Eric 在牌桌上一直唬人，雖然他的牌其實很弱。
bluff in poker with weak cards
The caller bluffed Min by claiming the school principal had approved it.
那名來電者謊稱校長已經批准這件事，藉此唬住 Min。
A fake detective badge helped Rohan bluff the watchman outside the warehouse.
一枚假警探證章幫 Rohan 唬過了倉庫外的守衛。
- bluff the guard
- bluff an opponent
- bluff someone into backing down
- confess
means stating the truth openly instead of hiding it behind an act
文法句型
bluff someone
bluff someone into thinking + clause
bluff an opponent
用法筆記
Often used when someone relies on a show of certainty, power, or inside knowledge rather than real facts. The object is usually the person being pressured or misled.
常見錯誤
2. to enter, escape, or cope with a situation by sounding more certain or informed
蒙混
靠唬人混進、脫身或撐過難關
to enter, escape, or cope with a situation by sounding more certain or informed than you really are
Nadia bluffed her way into the gala with a borrowed staff pass.
Nadia 靠一張借來的工作證，蒙混進了晚會。
bluff your way into + place
Ife bluffed her way out of trouble by naming the real supplier.
Ife 說出了真正的供應商名字，才蒙混脫身。
bluff your way out of + trouble
Without the manual, Omar bluffed his way through the machine inspection.
沒有操作手冊時，Omar 只能一路蒙混撐過機器檢查。
The intern bluffed his way past security by sounding calm and important.
那名實習生故作鎮定又重要，才蒙混過了警衛。
- bluff your way in
- bluff your way out of trouble
- bluff your way through an interview
- admit
means openly saying you do not know or cannot do something
文法句型
bluff your way into + place
bluff your way out of + trouble
bluff your way through + event
用法筆記
This sense normally appears in the pattern bluff your way + preposition phrase. It focuses on reaching a result, unlike sense 1, which focuses on deceiving another person directly.
常見錯誤
bluff into doing
phrasal verbto make someone do something by acting more certain, powerful, or informed than you really are
唬到對方去做
The scammer bluffed the clerk into opening the side gate after midnight.
A loud caller bluffed the new assistant into sending the file early.
bluff your way in
phrasal verbto get into a place by sounding as if you belong there
蒙混進去
Christopher bluffed his way in by greeting the ushers like an old volunteer.
The tourists could not bluff their way in once the staff checked names.
bluff your way into
phrasal verbto enter a place, role, or agreement by pretending to have the right status or knowledge
蒙混進入
Stephanie bluffed her way into the planning meeting with a borrowed clipboard.
A smooth sales pitch helped the firm bluff its way into the tender.
bluff your way out
phrasal verbto escape a difficult moment by keeping up the act until people let you go
蒙混脫身
The teenager bluffed his way out before the station officer checked the ticket.
Rohan nearly bluffed his way out, but the host recognized the photo.
bluff your way out of
phrasal verbto get out of a problem, duty, or punishment by deceiving people
蒙混逃過
Eric could not bluff his way out of the fine once the camera footage appeared.
The player tried to bluff his way out of the ban by blaming the trainer.
bluff your way through
phrasal verbto manage an activity without real knowledge by sounding confident enough to avoid being exposed
硬唬過去
Min bluffed her way through the wine quiz by repeating the host's own words.
The actor bluffed his way through rehearsal after missing the morning read-through.
bluff it out
idiomto stay with a lie or false act until the danger or suspicion passes
硬撐過去；一路唬到底
Mauricio forgot the formula but tried to bluff it out until the bell rang.
The driver decided to bluff it out when the guard asked for another permit.
bluff — 名詞
- bluffsingular
- bluffsplural
1. an attempt to make other people back down or believe you by acting stronger, cal
虛張聲勢
裝得很有把握來唬人的舉動
an attempt to make other people back down or believe you by acting stronger, calmer, or better prepared than you really are
The coach saw through Javier's bluff and kept the defenders in place.
教練看穿了 Javier 的虛張聲勢，仍讓後衛留在原位。
see through someone's bluff
What looked like a legal threat turned out to be a bluff.
那看似法律威脅的東西，結果只是一場虛張聲勢。
Stephanie's sudden raise was only a bluff to push the sale along.
Stephanie 突然加價只是虛張聲勢，想把這筆交易往前推。
The union called the company's bluff and refused the rushed contract.
工會戳破了公司的虛張聲勢，拒絕簽下那份倉促的合約。
call someone's bluff
- call someone's bluff
- empty bluff
- poker bluff
- political bluff
- truth
plain honesty without a false show
文法句型
be a bluff
call someone's bluff
用法筆記
Often used for threats, poker moves, bargaining tactics, and other situations where someone pretends to hold more power than they really do.
2. a high, sharply sloping edge of land, often beside a river or the sea
陡崖
河邊或海邊高而陡的岸壁
a high, sharply sloping edge of land, often beside a river or the sea
Children watched fishing boats below the bluff near the wide brown river.
孩子們在那條寬闊的褐色河流旁，看著陡崖下的漁船。
below the bluff
A narrow path climbed the sandy bluff behind the village church.
一條窄路沿著村教堂後方的沙質陡崖往上爬。
Storm waves cut into the bluff until part of the fence fell.
暴風浪不斷侵蝕那片陡崖，最後把一段圍欄沖垮了。
The campsite sat on a bluff with reeds growing at its base.
那座營地設在一處陡崖上，底部長著一片蘆葦。
on a bluff
- river bluff
- sandy bluff
- coastal bluff
- cliff
broader and does not especially suggest a riverbank shape
- bank
can be much less steep than a bluff
- escarpment
more technical and less common in everyday speech
- plain
flat land without a steep edge
文法句型
on a bluff
below the bluff
a bluff above + place
用法筆記
Used for the landform itself. Distinguish it from adjective sense 3, which describes another noun as having this steep front.
bluff — 形容詞
- bluffpositive
- bluffercomparative
- bluffestsuperlative
1. speaking in a very plain, honest way that can seem rude to other people
直白的
說話太直接，常顯得無禮
speaking in a very plain, honest way that can seem rude to other people
Stephanie gave a bluff answer that made the new waiter look hurt.
Stephanie 給了一個太直白的回答，讓那位新服務生看起來很受傷。
a bluff answer
The manager sounded bluff when he rejected the team's extra leave.
經理拒絕團隊加休時，語氣聽起來很直白。
Nadia's bluff tone during the meeting made two junior nurses go quiet.
Nadia 在會議上的直白語氣，讓兩名資淺護理師都安靜了下來。
The email was so bluff that Eric read it twice.
那封電子郵件寫得太直白，Eric 還重讀了兩遍。
sound bluff in writing
- bluff answer
- bluff manner
- bluff tone
- tactful
shows care not to hurt or offend people
- diplomatic
carefully avoids causing disagreement
文法句型
a bluff answer
sound bluff
be bluff with someone
用法筆記
This sense often has a negative effect on the listener. Distinguish it from sense 2, where the same directness feels hearty or kind rather than sharp.
2. open and straightforward in a warm, good-humored way
直爽的
坦白豪爽，但不帶惡意
open and straightforward in a warm, good-humored way
The old captain had a bluff voice but welcomed every new deckhand.
那位老船長聲音直爽，卻會歡迎每一名新水手。
bluff voice with a friendly effect
Nora liked the farmer's bluff laugh and plain advice.
Nora 很喜歡那位農夫直爽的笑聲和樸實的建議。
At dinner, Christopher's bluff jokes helped the nervous guests relax.
晚餐時，Christopher 那些直爽的玩笑讓緊張的客人都放鬆了。
The doctor remained bluff and cheerful even after a sleepless shift.
那位醫師即使值了整夜班，還是保持直爽又開朗。
bluff and cheerful
- bluff laugh
- bluff jokes
- bluff welcome
- reserved
less open and less easy in manner
文法句型
a bluff voice
a bluff welcome
remain bluff and cheerful
用法筆記
This sense is approving. It usually describes a person's natural style or welcome, not words that sound harsh in the moment.
3. rising almost straight up with a wide, steep front
陡直的
正面寬而幾乎垂直的
rising almost straight up with a wide, steep front
A bluff cliff rose behind the lighthouse at the edge of town.
城鎮邊緣的燈塔後方，立著一面陡直的懸崖。
a bluff cliff
Goats moved along the bluff hillside above the cold green sea.
山羊沿著高出寒綠海面的陡直山坡移動。
The road ended where a bluff wall of rock blocked the valley.
道路走到盡頭時，一面陡直的岩壁正好堵住了山谷。
Morning fog hid the bluff headland until the sun cleared the bay.
晨霧遮住了那片陡直的岬角，直到陽光照亮海灣。
bluff headland
- bluff cliff
- bluff hillside
- bluff headland
- gentle
describes a gradual rather than sharp slope
文法句型
a bluff cliff
bluff hillside
bluff headland
用法筆記
Mostly used with landscape words such as cliff, bank, coast, or headland. Distinguish it from noun sense 2, which names the landform itself.
同根字
常見搭配
名詞搭配
- poker bluff
- river bluff
- bluff tone
常用片語
- call someone's bluff
- bluff your way through
- bluff it out