puff: Meaning and Definition of
puff
Pronunciation: (puf), [key]
— n.
- a short, quick blast, as of wind or breath.
- an abrupt emission of air, smoke, vapor, etc.
- an act of inhaling and exhaling, as on a cigarette or pipe; whiff.
- the sound of an abrupt emission of air, vapor, etc.
- a small quantity of vapor, smoke, etc., emitted at one blast.
- an inflated or distended part of a thing; swelling; protuberance.
- a form of light pastry with a filling of cream, jam, or the like.
- a portion of material gathered and held down at the edges but left full in the middle, as on a sleeve.
- a cylindrical roll of hair.
- a quilted bed covering, usually filled with down.
- a commendation, esp. an exaggerated one, of a book, an actor's performance, etc.
- See
- a ball or pad of soft material.
- puffball.
- a male homosexual.
—v.i.
- to blow with short, quick blasts, as the wind.
- to be emitted in a puff.
- to emit a puff or puffs; breathe quick and hard, as after violent exertion.
- to go with puffing or panting.
- to emit puffs or whiffs of vapor or smoke.
- to move with such puffs: The locomotive puffed into the station.
- to take puffs at a cigar, cigarette, etc.
- to become inflated, distended, or swollen (usually fol. by up).
- (esp. of an auctioneer's accomplice) to bid on an item at an auction solely to increase the price that the final bidder must pay.
—v.t.
- to send forth (air, vapor, etc.) in short, quick blasts.
- to drive or impel by puffing, or with a short, quick blast.
- to extinguish by means of a puff (usually fol. by out): to puff a match out.
- to smoke (a cigar, cigarette, etc.).
- to inflate, distend, or swell, esp. with air.
- to make fluffy; fluff (often fol. by up): to puff up a pillow.
- to inflate with pride, vanity, etc. (often fol. by up): Their applause puffed him up.
- to praise unduly or with exaggeration.
- to apply powder to (the cheeks, neck, etc.) with a powder puff.
- to apply (powder) with a powder puff.
- to arrange in puffs, as the hair.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.