Bluffs

good-naturedly direct, blunt, or frank; heartily outspoken:
a big, bluff, generous man.
presenting a bold and nearly perpendicular front, as a coastline:
a bluff, precipitous headland.
Nautical. (of the bow of a vessel) having a full, blunt form.
a cliff, headland, or hill with a broad, steep face.
North Dakota, Wisconsin, and the Canadian Prairie Provinces. a clump or grove of trees on a prairie or other generally treeless area.
to mislead by a display of strength, self-confidence, or the like:
He bluffed me into believing that he was a doctor.
to gain by bluffing:
He bluffed his way into the job.
Poker. to deceive by a show of confidence in the strength of one’s cards.
to mislead someone by presenting a bold, strong, or self-confident front:
That open face makes it impossible for him to bluff.
an act or instance or the practice of bluffing:
Her pathetic story was all a bluff to get money from us. His assertive manner is mostly bluff.
a person who bluffs; bluffer:
That big bluff doesn’t have a nickel to his name.
call someone’s bluff, to expose a person’s deception; challenge someone to carry out a threat:
He always said he would quit, so we finally called his bluff.
Contemporary Examples

Tacita Dean: One of Today’s 10 Most Important Artists Blake Gopnik June 4, 2011

Historical Examples

Letters of a Traveller William Cullen Bryant
The Rock of Chickamauga Joseph A. Altsheler
The Yacht Club Oliver Optic
Cleveland Past and Present Maurice Joblin
Trees of Indiana Charles Clemon Deam
Galusha the Magnificent Joseph C. Lincoln
The White Chief Mayne Reid
Faro Nell and Her Friends Alfred Henry Lewis
Little Masterpieces of American Wit and Humor, Volume II Various

verb
to pretend to be confident about an uncertain issue or to have undisclosed resources, in order to influence or deter (someone)
noun
deliberate deception intended to create the impression of a stronger position or greater resources than one actually has
call someone’s bluff, to challenge someone to give proof of his claims
noun
a steep promontory, bank, or cliff, esp one formed by river erosion on the outside bend of a meander
(Canadian) a clump of trees on the prairie; copse
adjective
good-naturedly frank and hearty
(of a bank, cliff, etc) presenting a steep broad face
n.
v.
n.
see: call someone’s bluff