buffer

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: buff=er

CIDE DICTIONARY

buffer, n. [Prop a striker. See Buffet a blow.].

•  An elastic apparatus or fender, for deadening the jar caused by the collision of bodies; as, a buffer at the end of a railroad car.  [1913 Webster]
•  One who polishes with a buff.  [1913 Webster]
•  A wheel for buffing; a buff.  [1913 Webster]
•  A good-humored, slow-witted fellow; -- usually said of an elderly man.  Dickens.  [1913 Webster]
•  a substance or mixture of substances which can absorb or neutralize a certain quantity of acid or base and thus keep the degree of acidity or alkalinity of a solution (as measured by pH) relatively stable. Sometimes the term is used in a medical context to mean antacid.  [PJC]
•  a data storage device or portion of memory used to temporarily store input or output data until the receiving device is ready to process it.  [PJC]
•  any object or person that shields another object or person from harm, shock, or annoyance; as, the President's staff is his buffer from constant interruptions of his work.  [PJC]

buffer, v. t. 

 to add a buffer{5} to (a solution), so as to reduce unwanted fluctuation of acidity.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

buffer, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a device that protects against or reduces the effect of an impact. b Brit. such a device (usu. one of a pair) on the front and rear of a railway vehicle or at the end of a track.
2 Biochem. a substance that maintains the hydrogen ion concentration of a solution when an acid or alkali is added.
3 Computing a temporary memory area or queue for data to aid its transfer between devices or programs operating at different speeds etc.
--v.tr.
1 act as a buffer to.
2 Biochem. treat with a buffer.

Idiom

buffer State a small State situated between two larger ones potentially hostile to one another and regarded as reducing the likelihood of open hostilities. buffer stock a reserve of commodity to offset price fluctuations.

buffer, n. Brit. sl. a silly or incompetent old man (esp. old buffer).

Etymology

18th c.: prob. formed as BUFFER(1) or with the sense 'stutterer'

THESAURUS

buffer

T square, aegis, annul, antacid, antidote, arch dam, arm guard, awl, backstop, bale breaker, bamboo curtain, bank, bar, barrage, barrier, battering ram, bear-trap dam, beaver dam, bevel, bevel square, bodkin, boom, bradawl, brattice, breakwater, breastwork, brick wall, bring to nothing, buff, buffer state, bulkhead, bulwark, bumper, calender, calipers, cancel, cancel out, cant hook, caulking iron, center punch, chamois, cloison, cofferdam, collision mat, come to nothing, contraceptive, copyright, counteractant, counteractive, counteragent, counterbalance, counterirritant, crash helmet, crowbar, cushion, dam, dashboard, defense, diaphragm, dibble, dike, dissepiment, ditch, dividers, dividing line, dividing wall, division, dodger, drag, earthwork, edger, electric sander, electric soldering iron, embankment, face mask, fence, fender, file, finger guard, flail, foot guard, forceps, fork, frustrate, fuse, gate, glazer, goggles, goose, governor, grader, grapnel, grappling iron, gravity dam, grease gun, grindstone, groin, guard, guardrail, hand guard, handrail, hard hat, harrow, hawk, helmet, hook, hydraulic-fill dam, insulation, interlock, interseptum, invalidate, iron, iron curtain, jack, jackscrew, jam, jetty, jointer, knee guard, knuckle guard, laminated glass, lathe, leaping weir, levee, level, life preserver, lifeline, lightning conductor, lightning rod, logjam, mangle, mask, mat, midriff, midsection, milldam, miter box, moat, mole, mound, mudguard, nail file, nail puller, negate, negativate, negative, neutralize, neutralizer, nose guard, nullifier, nullify, offset, pad, padding, palette knife, palladium, panel, parapet, paries, partition, party wall, patent, peavey, pilot, pincers, pinch bar, pitchfork, plane, planer, pliers, polisher, portcullis, press, preventative, preventive, property line, prophylactic, protective clothing, protective umbrella, puller, punch, punch pliers, puncheon, putty knife, ram, rammer, rampart, ramrod, remedy, ripping bar, roadblock, rock-fill dam, roller, rolling pin, safeguard, safety, safety glass, safety plug, safety rail, safety shoes, safety switch, safety valve, sander, screen, screwdriver, seat belt, seawall, separation, septulum, septum, shaper, shield, shin guard, shock pad, shutter dam, soldering iron, spatula, square, stapler, steamroller, stone wall, stultify, sun helmet, tackle, tamp, tamper, tamping pick, tap, thwart, tire iron, tire tool, tongs, trowel, tweezers, umbrella, undo, vise, vitiate, void, wall, weir, wicket dam, windscreen, windshield, work, wrecking bar, wringer

ROGET THESAURUS

buffer

Hindrance

N hindrance, prevention, preclusion, obstruction, stoppage, embolus, embolism, infarct, interruption, interception, interclusion, hindrance, impedition, retardment, retardation, embarrassment, oppilation, coarctation, stricture, restriction, restraint, inhibition, blockade, interference, interposition, obtrusion, discouragement, discountenance, impediment, let, obstacle, obstruction, knot, knag, check, hitch, contretemps, screw loose, grit in the oil, bar, stile, barrier, turnstile, turnpike, gate, portcullis, beaver dam, trocha, barricade, wall, dead wall, sea wall, levee breakwater, groyne, bulkhead, block, buffer, stopper, boom, dam, weir, burrock, drawback, objection, stumbling-block, stumbling-stone, lion in the path, snag, snags and sawyers, encumbrance, incumbrance, clog, skid, shoe, spoke, drag, drag chain, drag weight, stay, stop, preventive, prophylactic, load, burden, fardel, onus, millstone round one's neck, impedimenta, dead weight, lumber, pack, nightmare, Ephialtes, incubus, old man of the sea, remora, difficulty, insuperable, obstacle, estoppel, ill wind, head wind, trammel, tether, hold back, counterpoise, damper, wet blanket, hinderer, marplot, killjoy, party pooper, party crasher, interloper, trail of a red herring, opponent, hindering, obstructive, obstruent, impeditive, impedient, intercipient, prophylactic, impedimentary, in the way of, unfavorable, onerous, burdensome, cumbrous, cumbersome, obtrusive, hindered, windbound, waterlogged, heavy laden, hard pressed, unassisted &c (assist), single-handed, alone, deserted, occurrent nubes.

Defense

N defense, protection, guard, ward, shielding, propugnation, preservation, guardianship, area defense, site defense, self-defense, self-preservation, resistance, safeguard, balistraria, bunker, screen, camouflage, fortification, munition, muniment, trench, foxhole, bulwark, fosse, moat, ditch, entrenchment, intrenchment, kila, dike, dyke, parapet, sunk fence, embankment, mound, mole, bank, sandbag, revetment, earth work, field- work, fence, wall dead wall, contravallation, paling, palisade, haha, stockade, stoccado, laager, sangar, barrier, barricade, boom, portcullis, chevaux de frise, abatis, abattis, abbatis, vallum, circumvallation, battlement, rampart, scarp, escarp, counter-scarp, glacis, casemate, vallation, vanfos, buttress, abutment, shore, breastwork, banquette, curtain, mantlet, bastion, redan, ravelin, vauntmure, advance work, horn work, outwork, barbacan, barbican, redoubt, fort-elage, fort-alice, lines, loophole, machicolation, sally port, hold, stronghold, fastness, asylum, keep, donjon, dungeon, fortress, citadel, capitol, castle, tower of strength, tower of strength, fort, barracoon, pah, sconce, martello tower, peelhouse, blockhouse, rath, wooden walls, bulletproof vest, armored vest, buffer, corner stone, fender, apron, mask, gauntlet, thimble, carapace, armor, shield, buckler, aegis, breastplate, backplate, cowcatcher, face guard, scutum, cuirass, habergeon, mail, coat of mail, brigandine, hauberk, lorication, helmet, helm, bassinet, salade, heaume, morion, murrion, armet, cabaset, vizor, casquetel, siege cap, headpiece, casque, pickelhaube, vambrace, shako, bearskin, panoply, truncheon, garrison, picket, piquet, defender, protector, guardian, bodyguard, champion, knight-errant, Paladin, propugner, bulletproof window, hardened site, defending, defensive, mural, armed, armed at all points, armed cap-a-pie, armed to the teeth, panoplied, iron-plated, ironclad, loopholed, castellated, machicolated, casemated, defended, proof against, armored, ballproof, bulletproof, hardened, defensively, on the defense, on the defensive, in defense, at bay, pro aris et focis, Int, no surrender!, defense not defiance, Dieu defend le droit, fidei defensor, defender of the faith.