futz

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fʌts/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ʌts

Etymology 1

Probably from German Fotze (“cunt”).

Noun

futz (plural futzes)

1. (vulgar, colloquial, dialectal, derogatory) An objectionable woman.

   Janet gets on my nerves. She's a dumb futz, ain't she?

Etymology 2

From German herumfurzen (literally “to fart around”) (herum- +‎ furzen), perhaps via Yiddish אַרומפֿאַרצן (arumfartsn); alternatively, a euphemism for fuck.

Verb

futz (third-person singular simple present futzes, present participle futzing, simple past and past participle futzed)

1. (Northern US) To be frivolous and waste time. [from the 20th c.]
   • 1969, Philip Roth, Portnoy's Complaint:

     I am nobody to futz around with when I know myself to be four hundred per cent in the right.

2. To experiment by trial and error.

Usage notes

• Used especially in the phrase futz around.

Synonyms

• putz

See also

• (experiment): frob, fooster