In the context of “to bully.” I’ve till now only heard it used in the saying “Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo,” but last night noticed it being used in an episode of The Rockford Files where someone said that someone else “wouldn’t buffalo” (as in, would not be intimidated.) So apparently in 1979 it was assumed that the term would be familiar to the audience. But as far as I know, the term is pretty much extinct today. Any thoughts on when/where it might have been in regular use?
Those badass buffalo girls goin round the outside…
Google ngram for “buffaloed” (to distinguish the verb):
It looks like it was non-existent (or spelled differently?) prior to 1900.
Usage has declined a little since the mid-20th centry, but it does not appear to be obsolete.
Nm
Seems old fashioned. I’d know what it meant but I haven’t heard it in a long time.
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.
Ya know that’s even hotlinked in the OP, right? Anyhow, like the OP, that’s the only manner in which I’ve ever heard the word used, as an example of a sentence with the most repeated words in it (and which essentially can be extended indefinitately.) I’ve never really like that sentence because “buffalo” as a verb just sounds weird to me.
So you’re saying that sentence doesn’t parse muster?
I have never heard of this.
Yeah, it’s a verb that means to confuse or deceive, but apparently it also can mean to intimidate, as in the Rockford Files usage.
I’d not heard of the usage before learning of that weird sentence. And while I tend to speak with a lower vocabulary, I used to read the dictionary for fun, and aced the vocab test they use to test your knowledge at psychiatrists–knowing every word.
Point is, if I’d have encountered it, I’d’ve remembered what it meant.
I didn’t before, but I will now!
Something combining both, like using bullshit to intimidate. Just guessing but maybe it arises from the nature of buffalo to run right through anything in their way.
I guess the sarcastic tone didn’t come thru. Also, the sentence is a favorite of mine because I was born in Buffalo, N.Y.
I just saw some buffalo on Saturday. I couldn’t tell if they were buffaloing anyone though.
I didn’t realize that psychiatric tests were graded.
As a completely off-topic comment, I don’t know what it is about you guys, but for a city your size, I seem to meet a disproportionate amount of you; your denizens are everywhere. I even married one of them. (And dated another one in college.) Or maybe I just like Buffalonians and are naturally drawn to them.
So psychiatrists evaluate the patient’s sanity now by measuring their vocabulary?
Vocabulary tests are typically part of IQ tests or similar. So yes, they’re graded. Nothing to do with sanity (although if you give really oddball definitions that might prompt additional tests).
I’m familiar with IQ tests, but I didn’t know they were used in a psychiatric setting.