ziff, n.

Pronunciation:/zɪf/

Etymology:Origin unknown.

Austral. (and N.Z.) slang.

A beard.

1919 W. H. Downing Digger Dial. 54 Ziff, a beard.

1924 C. J. Dennis Rose of Spadgers 137 'E lobbed in on us sudden, ziff an' all.

1934 Bulletin(Sydney) 2 May 25/4 All the Druids in that show wore long, white nightgowns and ziffs down to where the tops of their trousers should have been.

1947 J. Morrison Sailors belong Ships 97 We all called him The Prophet. He had a long ziff.

1971 N.Z. Listener 19 Apr. 56/5 So up he goes and finds he knows one of them, the one with the ziff.

1981 G. Kelly Always Afternoon xii. 211 ‘Better get rid of that ziff,’ she said pointing to his embryonic beard.