puff Definition

puff
noun

1a. A small rush, gust or blast of air or wind, etc;

Thesaurus: gust, wind, blast, whiff.
1b. The sound made by it.
2. A small cloud of smoke, dust or steam emitted from something.
3. colloq
Breath.
Example: quite out of puff
4. An act of inhaling and exhaling smoke from a pipe or cigarette; a drag or draw.
5. A light pastry, often containing a sweet or savoury filling.

Example: jam puffs
6. A powder puff.
7. An item of publicity intended or serving as an advertisement.
8. derog, slang
A male homosexual.

verb puffed, puffing

tr & intr
1. To blow or breathe in small blasts.

Thesaurus: pant, exhale, blow, expire.
intr
2. Said of smoke or steam, etc: to emerge in small gusts or blasts.
tr & intr
3. To inhale and exhale smoke from, or draw at (a cigarette, etc).
intr
4. Said of a train or boat, etc: to go along emitting puffs of steam.

Form: puff along (often)
intr
5. To pant, or go along panting.

Example: puffing up the hill
6. colloq
To leave them breathless after exertion.
Form: puff someone out (often)
tr & intr
7. To swell or cause something to swell.

Example: puffed out its feathers
Thesaurus: inflate, swell, distend, enlarge, fill.
Form: puff out (also)
Form: puff up
8. To praise something extravagantly by way of advertisement.

Thesaurus: flatter, praise, commend, congratulate, admire.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon pyffan.