cofert

An obsolete spelling of coffer. coff1 (kof), v. t.; pret. and pp. coft, ppr. coffing. [E. dial. and Sc., appar. a var. of cope2, coup, var. of cheap, chop2, buy, exchange: see cope2, coup2, cheap, chop2. The change of p to f within E. is not common, and is usually due to some interference; but G. kaufen (= E. cheap, chop2 ) can hardly apply here. The fact that the verb is found chiefly in the pret. coft suggests that the present coff is developed from the pret.coft, the latter being in this view merely a var. of caught (ME. caught, caght, cought ), etc., pret. of catch1, in the sense of 'get, obtain,' with the common change of the guttural gh to f as in draught = draft, cough, pron. as coff, etc.: see catch1, v.] 1. To chop or change. [Prov. Eng.] -2. To buy. [Obsolete or Scotch.] My milk-white steed, That I hae coft sae dear. The Broom field Hill (Child's Ballads, I. 133). That sark she coft for her wee Nannie. Burns, Tam o' Shanter. 3t. To pay for; expiate; purchase forgivene of by sacrifice. The knycht to Chryst, that deit on tre, And coft our synnis deir. The Bludy Serk (Child's Ballads, VIII. 151). coff2 (kof), n. [Local E.; origin unknown.] The offal of pilchards.