Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - buffet

 I. noun  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, diminutive of buffe blow  Date: 13th century  1. a blow especially with the hand  2. something that strikes with telling force  II. verb  Date: 13th century  transitive verb  1. to strike sharply especially with the hand ; cuff  2. to strike repeatedly ; batter the waves ~ed the shore  3. to drive, force, move, or attack by or as if by repeated blows  intransitive verb to make one's way especially under difficult conditions  III. noun  Etymology: French  Date: 1718  1. sideboard  2.  a. a counter for refreshments  b. chiefly British a restaurant operated as a public convenience (as in a railway station)  c. a meal set out on a ~ or table for ready access and informal service  IV. adjective  Date: 1898 served informally (as from a ~)