buffet
High winds buffet buffet tables at outdoor events.
The sentence describes how strong gusts strike against food-serving setups at outdoor gatherings.
Meanings
to strike, batter, or knock against repeatedly
- The hurricane buffeted the small fishing boats all night.
- Cold winds buffeted the climbers near the summit.
a meal at which guests serve themselves from a variety of dishes set out on a table
- The hotel offered a lavish breakfast buffet.
- Sunday brunch was served buffet-style.
Word origin
Two etymologically distinct words: the verb /ˈbʌfɪt/ ('to strike') comes from Old French buffet ('blow, slap'), a diminutive of buffe ('blow'). The noun /bəˈfeɪ/ ('self-service meal') comes from a different French word — a 17th-century noun meaning 'sideboard, serving table' — from which it generalized to mean the meal served from such a table.
Fun fact
These two 'buffets' have nothing in common etymologically — they're a coincidence of spelling. The verb is Norman French (a strike), while the noun is later Continental French (a piece of furniture). English speakers happily ignore the disconnect.