Under a tuft of shade.
Milton.
Green lake, and cedar fuft, and spicy glade.
Keble.
3. A nobleman, or person of quality, especially in the English
universities; — so called from the tuft, or gold tassel, on the cap
worn by them. [Cant, Eng.]
Several young tufts, and others of the faster men.
T. Hughes.
Tuft, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tufted; p. pr. & vb. n. Tufting.] 1. To
separate into tufts.