(British slang) a scientist or technician engaged in military research

Usage examples of boffin.

Lopez had been dining with Mr and Mrs Boffin, and had now again encountered his late host and hostess.

Mr Boffin was a gentleman who had belonged to the late Ministry, but had somewhat out-Heroded Herod in his Conservatism, so as to have been considered to be unfit for the Coalition.

There had been men, such as Lord Fawn on one side and Mr Boffin on the other, who had found themselves stranded disagreeably,--with no certain position,--unwilling to sit behind a Treasury bench from which they were excluded, and too shy to place themselves immediately opposite.

This question was put by Sir Timothy to Sir Orlando as they sat in a corner of the archery ground, under the shelter of a tent looking on while Major Pountney taught Mrs Boffin how to fix an arrow on to her bow string.

Mr Boffin put down his treatise on the nature of Franchises, which he was studying in order that he might lead an opposition against the Ministry next Session, and even Sir Timothy Beeswax, who had done his work with Sir Orlando, joined the throng.

Mr Boffin, who hear it, rejoiced within himself, comforting himself with the reflection that his withers were unwrung, and thinking with what pleasure he might carry the anecdote into the farthest corners of the clubs.

Sir Orlando to his old friend Mr Boffin as they walked home together from the House that night.

But when Sir Orlando had joined the Coalition, and when the sterner spirit of Mr Boffin had preferred principles to place,--to use the language in which he was wont to speak to himself and to his wife and family of his own abnegation,--there had come a coolness between them.

Mr Boffin, who was not a rich man, nor by any means indifferent to the comforts of office, had felt keenly the injury done to him when he was left hopelessly in the cold by the desertion of his old friends.

Mr Boffin in all his parliamentary experience had known nothing like it.

Mr Boffin had been sure that British honour was going to the dogs and that British greatness was at an end.

After that Mr Boffin admitted Sir Orlando back into his heart of hearts.

With him was joined Mr Boffin, the patriotic Conservative who had never listened to the voice of the seducer, and the staunch remainder of the Tory party.

One of them is--surprise--based in Milton Keynes, and as of right this minute you have clearance to stamp all over their turf and play the Gestapo officer with our top boffin labs.

He must have been an elderly boffin of great courtesy and patience to tolerate darn fool questions at this hour of the night.