gaffer

== English == === Etymology 1 === From gaff (“hook”) +‎ -er. (cinema): The natural lighting on early film sets was adjusted by opening and closing flaps in the tent cloths, called gaff cloths or gaff flaps. (glass): (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) ==== Pronunciation ==== (General American) IPA(key): /ɡæfɚ/ (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ɡæfə/ Rhymes: -æfə(ɹ) ==== Noun ==== gaffer (plural gaffers) (film) A chief lighting technician for a motion-picture or television production. A glassblower. Someone aboard a boat whose duty is to gaff a (large) fish once the angler has reeled it in. ===== Derived terms ===== gaffer grip gaffer tape ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === Likely a contraction of godfather, but with the vowels influenced by grandfather. Compare French compère, German Gevatter. Compare also Old English ġefædera (“godfather”), of which some unattested dialectal descendant may have been an influence. ==== Noun ==== gaffer (plural gaffers) (colloquial) An old person, usually a man. (UK, informal) The leader of a group or team, such as a boss, foreman, coach, or publican. A sailor. (Canada) The baby in the house. ===== Synonyms ===== See also Thesaurus:old man ===== Related terms ===== gammer ===== Translations ===== === References === “gaffer”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989. === Anagrams === Graeff == French == === Etymology 1 === From gaffe +‎ -er. Sense of gaffer-taping from English gaffer tape. ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /ɡa.fe/ ==== Verb ==== gaffer to make a gaffe; to mess up; botch up to gaffer tape ===== Conjugation ===== === Etymology 2 === Borrowed from English gaffer. ==== Pronunciation ==== IPA(key): /ɡa.fœʁ/ ==== Noun ==== gaffer m (plural gaffers) gaffer tape Alternative form: gaffeur === Further reading === “gaffer”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012 == Norman == === Etymology === (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) === Pronunciation === === Verb === gaffer (Jersey) to grasp == Welsh == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈɡafɛr/ === Verb === gaffer soft mutation of caffer === Mutation ===