spiff

Etymology

Unknown. See etymology discussion at spiffy.

adj

1. (archaic or regional, Yorkshire) Neat, smartly dressed, attractive.
   “Hah spiff he is to dāay!—he mud be bown tul a wedding!” “He’s spiff eniff for’t!”] [1862, C. Clough Robinson, The Dialect of Leeds and Its Neighborhood, page 418
   Thah is spiff i’ thy new coit.] [1865, William Stott Banks, A List of Provincial Words in Use at Wakefield in Yorkshire, page 67

noun

1. (uncountable) Attractiveness or charm in dress, appearance, or manner.
   Without a diploma, he relies on spiff alone to climb the corporate ladder.
2. (countable, archaic, slang) A well-dressed man; a swell.
3. (countable, commerce, slang) A bonus or other remuneration, given for reaching a sales goal or promoting the goods of a particular manufacturer. Originally from textile retailing, a percentage given for selling off surplus or out-of-fashion stock, of which the sales person could offer part as a discount to a customer.
   The strongly-recommended piece of cloth was, in the conventional language of the drapery trade, a “spiff” in other words, a remnant of an old stock which had been lying by unsold for three or four years, perhaps longer, and had faded through keeping, like other beautiful things, thereby decreasing in value. 1860 July 7, W.A.C.C., “A yard of ‘stuff’”, in The Players, page 3
   The premium takes the form of a commission on goods sold. In some places it is a small premium, or in trade parlance a “spiff” on certain articles, and on others on the amount of sales. 1893, Royal Commission on Labor, The Employment of Women, page 313
4. (countable, colloquial, Jamaica) Alternative form of spliff (“hand-rolled marijuana cigarette”)
   She rolled a spiff for us as she spoke, sifting the ganja between her fingers […] 2000, Leone Ross, “Tasting Songs”, in Sheree R. Thomas, editor, Dark Matter

verb

1. (transitive, informal) (usually with up or out) To make spiffy (attractive, polished, or up-to-date)
   Oh, but we flatter ourselves that we are spiffed out; at all events, we've got our best dresses on. 1874, William Schwenck Gilbert, Foggerty's Fairy
   This ensemble may be properly spiffed with a bolo tie, and topped off with a. . . 1996, Coke Newell, Cow Chips Aren't for Dippin'
   We dated boys who had their own cars and wow! what fancy cars they were—spiffed and buffed in bright '50s reds or turquoises. 2005, Jill Larson Sundberg, Michael Larson, Babes Remember
   Infrastructure Spiffed? 2011, Andrew R. Thomas, Soft Landing: Airline Industry Strategy, Service, and Safety, page 152
2. (transitive, commerce, slang) To reward (a salesperson) with a spiff or bonus.
   It is my confirmed belief that, spiffed or not, the salesman is the consumer's best-qualified and best- informed source of assistance in matters of component selection. 1968, The Stereophile - Issue 2, page 26
   The flight to Baton Rouge was ten dollars more. He said not to worry about it. I spiffed the guy twenty bucks and ended up in Baton Rouge a day earlier than I had expected. 2004, Robin Yocum, Dead before Deadline, page 266
   The company made more money, and so did the salesperson who was spiffed on the sale and he was selling a product that most people don't buy. 2009, Dave Lakhani, How To Sell When Nobody's Buying
3. (transitive, commerce, slang) To attach a spiff or bonus to the selling of (a product)
   It wasn't my fault if the blamed old store caught fire and gave me a chance to help Ferguson move out some of the stuff that has been 'spiffed' till it looks like red ink had been spilled all over the price-tags. 1906, The American Magazine - Volume 62, page 497
   Because you can pull out a spiff anywhere you are in the store and the customers are not aware that they are spiffed shoes. 1919, Boot and Shoe Recorder - Volumes 74-75, page 59
4. (transitive, informal) To throw; to heave.
   I spiffed the turf over the edge and it went straight through the window and hit the officer.