n. Slang 1. A line in a play or film, for example, that elicits a big laugh: "He doesn't go for the big boffs, artificially inflated, but lets his comedy build through a leisurely accumulation of bizarre details" (Vincent Canby). 2. A big laugh. 3. A conspicuous success. Also called boffo, boffola. [Probably from B(OX) OFF(ICE).] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.