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Definitions for: Puff
[n] forceful exhalation through the nose or mouth; "he gave his nose a loud blow"; "he blew out all the candles with a single puff"
[n] a slow inhalation (as of tobacco smoke); "he took a puff on his pipe"; "he took a drag on his cigarette and expelled the smoke slowly"
[n] a fluffy pad for applying powder to the skin
[n] bedding made of two layers of cloth filled with stuffing and stitched together
[n] exaggerated praise (as for promotional purposes)
[n] a light inflated pastry or puff shell
[n] a short light gust of air
[adj] gathered for protruding fullness; "puff sleeves"
[v] breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted; "The runners reached the finish line, panting heavily"
[v] blow hard and loudly
[v] to swell or cause to enlarge, "Her faced puffed up from the drugs"
[v] speak in a blustering or scornful manner; "A puffing kind of man"
[v] praise extravagantly; "The critics puffed up this Broadway production"
[v] smoke and exhale strongly; "puff a cigar"; "whiff a pipe"
[v] suck in or take, as of air; "draw a deep breath"; "draw on a cigarette"
[v] make proud or conceited; "The sudden fame puffed her ego"
Webster (1913) Definition: Puff (p[u^]f), n. [Akin to G. & Sw. puff a blow, Dan.
puf, D. pof; of imitative origin. Cf. Buffet.]
1. A sudden and single emission of breath from the mouth;
hence, any sudden or short blast of wind; a slight gust; a
whiff. `` To every puff of wind a slave.'' --Flatman.
2. Anything light and filled with air. Specifically:
(a) A puffball.
(b) a kind of light pastry.
(c) A utensil of the toilet for dusting the skin or hair
with powder.
3. An exaggerated or empty expression of praise, especially
one in a public journal.
Puff adder. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) Any South African viper belonging to Clotho and
allied genera. They are exceedingly venomous, and have
the power of greatly distending their bodies when
irritated. The common puff adder ({Vipera, or Clotho
arietans}) is the largest species, becoming over four
feet long. The plumed puff adder (C. cornuta) has a
plumelike appendage over each eye.
(b) A North American harmless snake ({Heterodon
platyrrhinos}) which has the power of puffing up its
body. Called also hog-nose snake, flathead,
spreading adder, and blowing adder.
Puff bird (Zo["o]l.), any bird of the genus Bucco, or
family Bucconid[ae]. They are small birds, usually with
dull-colored and loose plumage, and have twelve tail
feathers. See Barbet
(b) .
Puff, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Puffed (p[u^]ft); p. pr. &
vb. n. Puffing.] [Akin to G. puffen to pop, buffet, puff,
D. poffen to pop, puffen to blow, Sw. puffa to push, to cuff,
Dan. puffe to pop, thump. See Puff, n.]
1. To blow in puffs, or with short and sudden whiffs.
2. To blow, as an expression of scorn; -- with at.
It is really to defy Heaven to puff at damnation.
--South.
3. To breathe quick and hard, or with puffs, as after violent
exertion.
The ass comes back again, puffing and blowing, from
the chase. --L' Estrange.
4. To swell with air; to be dilated or inflated. --Boyle.
5. To breathe in a swelling, inflated, or pompous manner;
hence, to assume importance.
Then came brave Glory puffing by. --Herbert.
Puff, v. t.
1. To drive with a puff, or with puffs.
The clearing north will puff the clouds away.
--Dryden.
2. To repel with words; to blow at contemptuously.
I puff the prostitute away. --Dryden.
3. To cause to swell or dilate; to inflate; to ruffle with
puffs; -- often with up; as, a bladder puffed with air.
The sea puffed up with winds. --Shak.
4. To inflate with pride, flattery, self-esteem, or the like;
-- often with up.
Puffed up with military success. --Jowett
(Thucyd. )
5. To praise with exaggeration; to flatter; to call public
attention to by praises; to praise unduly. `` Puffed with
wonderful skill.'' --Macaulay.
Puff, a.
Puffed up; vain. [R.] --Fanshawe.
Synonyms: blow, blow up, chuff, comforter, drag, drag, draw, fancy, gasp, heave, huff, pant, powderpuff, puff of air, puff out, puff up, puff up, puffed, pull, quilt, whiff, whiff
See Also: aspiration, bed clothing, bedclothes, bedding, blast, blow, blow, blow, bluster, boast, brag, breathe in, breathing in, breathing out, chou, continental quilt, cream puff, duvet, eiderdown, elate, exhalation, expiration, gas, gasconade, good word, gust, inhalation, inhale, inspiration, inspire, insufflation, intoxicate, intumesce, lift up, pad, pastry, patchwork, patchwork quilt, pick up, praise, recommendation, shoot a line, smoke, smoke, smoking, swash, swell, swell up, testimonial, toke, tout, tumefy, uplift, vaunt
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