Definition: Paffer, empaffer

To intoxicate. "In the midst of this colourful crowd revelling in blue wine." Delvau. "We go to La Courtille to get drunk on wine when we're feeling down." Vidal. Comes from Paf, which in the 18th century represented what we now call gout; like gout, paf was mainly applied to brandy. Here are several examples. "Come and join us, the three of us, for a drink of paffe." Vadé, 1758. "Would you like a drop of paf? We'd like some. Saint-Jean, go and fetch us some misequier d'rogome." 1756, l'Écluse. "He offered me the paf. It appealed to me so much that I went... to a tobacconist's in the Rue des Boucheries, where I drank ratafia after the coco." Rétif, 177e, Contemp., 1783. There must be a connection between the paf of the 18th century and the eau d'aff of modern slang. "You're going to pay me for the eau d'aff or I'll make you dance." E. Sue.