puff

puff
noun
1》 a short burst of breath or wind.
    ↘a small quantity of vapour or smoke emitted in one blast.
    ↘an act of drawing quickly on a pipe, cigarette, or cigar.
    ↘Brit. informal breath.
2》 a light pastry case containing a sweet or savoury filling.
3》 informal a complimentary review of a book, play, etc.
    ↘Brit. an advertisement.
4》 a gathered mass of material in a dress or other garment.
5》 a rolled protuberant mass of hair.
6》 N. Amer. an eiderdown.
verb
1》 breathe in repeated short gasps.
    ↘move with short, noisy breaths or bursts of air or steam.
    ↘blow (dust, smoke, etc.) with quick breaths or blasts.
    ↘smoke a pipe, cigarette, or cigar.
2》 (puff out/up or puff something out/up) become swollen or cause something to swell.
    ↘cause to become conceited.
3》 informal advertise with exaggerated or false praise.
Phrases
in all one's puff Brit. informal in one's whole life.
puff and blow breathe in gasps during or after exertion.
Derivatives
puffer noun
Origin
ME: imitative of the sound of a breath, perh. from OE pyf (n.), pyffan (v.).

English new terms dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • Puff — Puff, v. t. 1. To drive with a puff, or with puffs. [1913 Webster] The clearing north will puff the clouds away. Dryden. [1913 Webster] 2. To repel with words; to blow at contemptuously. [1913 Webster] I puff the prostitute away. Dryden. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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