buffer
buffer — noun
1. a person, thing, or arrangement that takes some of the danger, pressure, or trou
a person, thing, or arrangement that takes some of the danger, pressure, or trouble before it reaches someone or something else.
The thick hedge acts as a buffer against wind from the sea.
act as a buffer against + noun
Marta's assistant acted as a buffer, keeping rude callers away from her.
person as buffer from annoyance
A savings account gave the family a buffer during three months without work.
The charity fund is a buffer against sudden rises in heating bills.
buffer against financial risk
- buffer against inflation
- financial buffer
- act as a buffer
- provide a buffer
- protective buffer
Grammar Patterns
a buffer against + noun
act as a buffer
Usage Note
Distinguish from noun sense 2: this sense can be a person, a service, or money kept ready, not only a physical strip or space. It often appears with 'against' plus the danger or problem.
Common Mistakes
2. a strip, layer, or empty space left around something, or placed between two thin
a strip, layer, or empty space left around something, or placed between two things, so they do not touch or affect each other directly.
Workers left a grass buffer between the river and the new road.
buffer between + two places
Each young tree needs a ring of mulch as a buffer around its trunk.
buffer around + noun
The council kept a buffer zone of shrubs between homes and the highway.
buffer zone collocation
Fire crews cleared a wide buffer between the houses and the flames.
wide buffer collocation
- buffer zone
- buffer strip
- buffer area
- green buffer
- create a buffer
Grammar Patterns
a buffer between + two things
a buffer around + noun
Usage Note
Subject is usually a strip of land, a fence, plants, or open space. Distinguish from noun sense 1, where the buffer may be a person or a financial arrangement rather than a physical gap.
Common Mistakes
3. a part of computer memory where data waits briefly before the machine uses it or
a part of computer memory where data waits briefly before the machine uses it or sends it on.
The video paused because the buffer was empty for a moment.
the buffer was empty
Large photos sat in the buffer before the printer started.
sit in the buffer
The app clears its buffer when you close the upload window.
clear + buffer
A bigger buffer lets the stream play smoothly on slow Wi-Fi.
bigger buffer improves streaming
- memory buffer
- print buffer
- buffer size
- fill the buffer
- clear the buffer
- cache
another kind of temporary storage, usually for faster access rather than data flow timing
- queue
focuses on the ordered line of data rather than the memory area itself
- temporary memory
plain explanatory phrase rather than a technical term
Grammar Patterns
data in the buffer
clear/fill the buffer
Usage Note
Computing only. Unlike noun sense 5, this is not extra physical supply; it is temporary memory used to smooth the flow of data between devices or stages.
Common Mistakes
4. a supply of goods or raw materials kept ready so work can continue if fresh supp
a supply of goods or raw materials kept ready so work can continue if fresh supplies are delayed or suddenly run short.
The printer keeps a paper buffer so orders can still go out.
keep a paper buffer
A buffer stock of rice helped the store during last month's delivery strike.
buffer stock collocation
Managers ordered a larger buffer after two flour trucks arrived late.
Without a flour buffer, the bakery closed before lunchtime.
without a buffer
- buffer stock
- cash buffer
- inventory buffer
- larger buffer
- keep a buffer
- reserve
general word for something kept ready for later use
- stockpile
usually larger and more deliberate, often for emergencies
- safety stock
technical business term for extra inventory kept to avoid shortages
- shortage
a situation where there is not enough supply
Grammar Patterns
keep a buffer of + materials
buffer stock
Usage Note
Common in business, factory, and supply-chain contexts. Often appears in the fixed phrase 'buffer stock', but it can also be a cash buffer or time buffer in planning.
Common Mistakes
5. a heavy metal piece on a railway vehicle, or fixed at the track end, that absorb
a heavy metal piece on a railway vehicle, or fixed at the track end, that absorbs force in a crash.
Before dawn, the mechanic checked both buffers on the empty passenger car.
check both buffers on a rail car
At coupling time, the front buffers met before the wagons locked together.
front buffers meet during coupling
The old wagon's buffer cracked when the cars joined too fast.
Children watched the train stop short of the track buffer.
track buffer collocation
- front buffer
- rear buffer
- track buffer
- damaged buffer
- bumper
broader everyday word for the impact-reducing part on a vehicle; less rail-specific
- stop block
refers specifically to the structure at the end of the track, not the part on the train
Grammar Patterns
front/rear buffer
track buffer
Usage Note
Used mainly in British rail contexts. In everyday American English, people are more likely to say 'bumper' for road vehicles; this rail sense is specific to trains and tracks.
6. a substance added to a liquid to stop its level of acid or alkali from changing
a substance added to a liquid to stop its level of acid or alkali from changing too easily.
The teacher added a buffer so the blue liquid stayed at the same pH.
add a buffer to keep pH steady
Without a buffer, the test liquid soon became too acidic to use.
without a buffer
The lab team added buffer drops so the sample did not turn too acidic.
buffer drops keep a sample stable
Dr. Okafor explained that blood has natural buffers that keep its pH steady.
natural buffers keep blood pH steady
- phosphate buffer
- buffer solution
- add a buffer
- natural buffer
- buffer solution
more exact term when the substance is already prepared as a solution
- stabilizer
broader scientific word; not limited to acidity
Grammar Patterns
add a buffer to + liquid
buffer solution
Usage Note
Common in chemistry and biology. The object being protected is usually a liquid or body fluid, and the point is to keep the acidity level steady within limits.
7. an old man spoken of in a mocking or mildly rude way.
an old man spoken of in a mocking or mildly rude way.
Listen to that old buffer, still telling school stories after lunch.
old buffer as dismissive label
At the bus stop, Aunt Jo muttered that the old buffer never stopped grumbling.
The boys laughed when the actor played a forgetful old buffer.
forgetful old buffer pattern
Don't call Grandpa a silly buffer in front of the guests.
silly buffer collocation
- old buffer
- silly buffer
- forgetful old buffer
Grammar Patterns
old/silly buffer
Usage Note
British and old-fashioned. Usually said with little respect, often together with adjectives like 'old', 'silly', or 'stupid', so learners should avoid using it about real people.
hit the buffers
idiomWhen a plan or someone's career suddenly stops being successful.
Maya's business plan hit the buffers after the bank refused funding.
Did Diego's acting career hit the buffers after that bad review?
buffer — verb
1. if a computer buffers data, or if data buffers, it keeps it in temporary memory
if a computer buffers data, or if data buffers, it keeps it in temporary memory while it is being processed, played, or sent.
The phone buffered the song before the train entered the tunnel.
buffer + file/song before playback
During the storm, the live stream buffered whenever the Wi-Fi slowed down.
intransitive computing use
The app buffers each file before it uploads it to the server.
buffer + file before upload
Live comments buffered on screen, then appeared all at once.
buffered, then appeared
- buffer data
- buffer a file
- buffer video
- start buffering
Grammar Patterns
buffer + data/file/song
data buffers before + verb
Usage Note
Computing only. It can be transitive ('the app buffers the file') or intransitive ('the video is buffering'), and it refers to short-term holding in memory rather than long-term saving.
Common Mistakes
2. to reduce the effect of a hit, change, or problem by putting something protectiv
to reduce the effect of a hit, change, or problem by putting something protective in the way.
Tall trees buffer the house from winter winds off the hill.
buffer + object + from + noun
The charity buffers low-income families against sudden rent increases.
buffer + object + against + noun
Omar's deputy buffered the director from angry calls all morning.
person buffers another person
Foam panels buffer the studio against noise from the street.
- buffer against noise
- buffer from wind
- buffer families against costs
- buffer the impact
- expose
to leave someone or something open to harm
Grammar Patterns
buffer + object + from + noun
buffer + object + against + noun
Usage Note
Usually followed by the person or thing being protected, then 'from' or 'against' plus the force or problem. Distinguish from verb sense 2, which is a computing use about temporary data storage.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- bufferedadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
These words all involve protection, but they highlight different kinds of help. A buffer takes the force of something before it reaches the target, so it often appears with money, space, or another person standing in the middle. A cushion is especially good for softening shocks, whether physical or financial, and sounds slightly more everyday. A shield suggests direct defence from danger, attack, or criticism. A safeguard is more formal and often names a rule, system, or legal measure put in place beforehand. So a hedge can be a buffer against wind, emergency savings can cushion a family during a hard month, a bodyguard shields a singer from fans, and safety checks act as safeguards before a machine is used.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word seems to go back to an older French form linked with the sound or force of a blow. In English, it first became common for the railway part that takes the shock when trains meet or stop. From that solid physical picture, the meaning widened to anything that absorbs pressure, keeps two sides apart, or softens sudden change. Later science used it for substances that keep liquids steady, and computing took it over for temporary storage that smooths the flow of data.