Puff

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Puff, n. [Akin to G. & Sw. puff a blow, Dan. puf, D. pof; of imitative origin. Cf. Buffet.].

•  A sudden and single emission of breath from the mouth; hence, any sudden or short blast of wind; a slight gust; a whiff.  Flatman.  [1913 Webster]
•  Anything light and filled with air. Specifically: (a) A puffball. (b) kind of light pastry. (c) A utensil of the toilet for dusting the skin or hair with powder.  [1913 Webster]
•  An exaggerated or empty expression of praise, especially one in a public journal.  [1913 Webster]

Puff adder. (Zoöl.) (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 arietans, or Clotho arietans) is the largest species, becoming over four feet long. The plumed puff adder (Clotho 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 (Zoöl.), any bird of the genus Bucco, or family Bucconidæ. They are small birds, usually with dull-colored and loose plumage, and have twelve tail feathers. See Barbet (b).

Puff, v. i. [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.].

•  To blow in puffs, or with short and sudden whiffs.  [1913 Webster]
•  To blow, as an expression of scorn; -- with at.  [1913 Webster]

  "It is really to defy Heaven to puff at damnation."  [1913 Webster]
•  To breathe quick and hard, or with puffs, as after violent exertion.  [1913 Webster]

  "The ass comes back again, puffing and blowing, from the chase."  [1913 Webster]
•  To swell with air; to be dilated or inflated.  Boyle.  [1913 Webster]
•  To breathe in a swelling, inflated, or pompous manner; hence, to assume importance.  [1913 Webster]

  "Then came brave Glory puffing by."  [1913 Webster]

Puff, v. t. 

•  To drive with a puff, or with puffs.  [1913 Webster]

  "The clearing north will puff the clouds away."  [1913 Webster]
•  To repel with words; to blow at contemptuously.  [1913 Webster]

  "I puff the prostitute away."  [1913 Webster]
•  To cause to swell or dilate; to inflate; to ruffle with puffs; -- often with up; as, a bladder puffed with air.  [1913 Webster]

  "The sea puffed up with winds."  [1913 Webster]
•  To inflate with pride, flattery, self-esteem, or the like; -- often with up.  [1913 Webster]

  "Puffed up with military success."  [1913 Webster]
•  To praise with exaggeration; to flatter; to call public attention to by praises; to praise unduly.  Macaulay.  [1913 Webster]

Puff, a. 

 Puffed up; vain.  Fanshawe.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Puff, n. & v.
--n.
1 a a short quick blast of breath or wind. b the sound of this; a similar sound. c a small quantity of vapour, smoke, etc., emitted in one blast (went up in a puff of smoke).
2 a cake etc. containing jam, cream, etc., and made of light esp. puff pastry.
3 a gathered mass of material in a dress etc. (puff sleeve).
4 a rolled protuberant mass of hair.
5 a an extravagantly enthusiastic review of a book etc., esp. in a newspaper. b an advertisement for goods etc., esp. in a newspaper.
6 = powder-puff.
7 US an eiderdown.
8 colloq. one's life (in all my puff).
--v.
1 intr. emit a puff of air or breath; blow with short blasts.
2 intr. (usu. foll. by away, out, etc.) (of a person smoking, a steam engine, etc.) emit or move with puffs (puffing away at his cigar; a train puffed out of the station).
3 tr. (usu. in passive; often foll. by out) put out of breath (arrived somewhat puffed; completely puffed him out).
4 intr. breathe hard; pant.
5 tr. utter pantingly ('No more,' he puffed).
6 intr. & tr. (usu. foll. by up, out) become or cause to become inflated; swell (his eye was inflamed and puffed up; puffed up the balloon).
7 tr. (usu. foll. by out, up, away) blow or emit (dust, smoke, a light object, etc.) with a puff.
8 tr. smoke (a pipe etc.) in puffs.
9 tr. (usu. as puffed up adj.) elate; make proud or boastful.
10 tr. advertise or promote (goods, a book, etc.) with exaggerated or false praise.

Idiom

puff-adder a large venomous African viper, Bitis arietans, which inflates the upper part of its body and hisses when excited. puff and blow = sense 4 of v. puff-ball any of various fungi having a ball-shaped spore case. puff pastry light flaky pastry. puff-puff Brit. a childish word for a steam-engine or train. puff up = sense 9 of v.

Etymology

ME puf, puffe, perh. f. OE, imit. of the sound of breath

THESAURUS

Puff

Aqua-Lung, Danish pastry, French pastry, PR, acknowledgment, add to, adulate, advertise, advertisement, advocate, aggrandize, amplify, apotheosize, appreciation, artificial respiration, aspiration, asthmatic wheeze, augment, back, baklava, balloon, ballyhoo, bark, base, belaud, bepraise, bill, blast, bless, blintz, bloat, bloatedness, bloating, blow, blow a hurricane, blow great guns, blow over, blow up, blowing up, blubber, blurb, bluster, boast, boast of, boost, brag, brag about, break down, breakers, breath, breath of air, breathe, breathe hard, breathe in, breathe out, breathing, breeze, breeze up, brew, bright light, broaden, broken wind, build, build up, buildup, bulk, bulk out, bulletin, burlesque, burn out, butter, capful of wind, caricature, carry too far, celebrate, celebrity, chain-smoke, chaw, chew, chewing, chocolate eclair, circularize, clay, clown white, cock-a-doodle-doo, cold cream, collapse, collar, come up, comfortable, comforter, commend, commendation, common knowledge, compact, cosmetics, cough, crack up, cream puff, crescendo, crow, cry, cry up, currency, cushion, daylight, deify, develop, diastole, dilatation, dilate, dilation, distend, distension, dough, dowdy, down, drag, draught, draw, draw the longbow, droop, drop, dropsy, drugstore complexion, eclair, eclat, edema, eiderdown, emblazon, emit, enlarge, establish, eulogize, evacuate, exaggerate, exalt, exhalation, exhale, exhaust, expand, expel, expiration, expire, exposure, exsufflation, extend, extol, eye shadow, eyebrow pencil, faint, fame, famousness, fatigue, feather bed, feathers, flag, flatter, flatulence, flatulency, flatus, fleece, floss, flourish, flue, fluff, foam, foundation, foundation cream, freshen, froth, fume, gasconade, gasp, gassiness, gather, get tired, give a write-up, give off, give out, give publicity, give vent to, glare, glorify, go to extremes, good word, greasepaint, grow weary, gulp, gust, habitual smoking, hack, hand cream, hand lotion, head, heave, hero-worship, hiccup, hike, hike up, honorable mention, hoopla, hue and cry, huff, huff and puff, hype, hyperbolize, idolize, increase, inflate, inflation, inhalation, inhalator, inhale, inhale snuff, inspiration, inspire, insufflation, intumescence, iron lung, item, jade, kapok, lather, laud, laudation, lay it on, let out, limelight, lionize, lip rouge, lipstick, magnify, make much of, makeup, mascara, maximum dissemination, mention, meringue, meteorism, mousse, mouth, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, mudpack, nail polish, nicotine addiction, nicotinism, notice, notoriety, offscum, open the floodgates, open the sluices, overcharge, overdo, overdraw, overestimate, overpraise, overreach, overreact, oversell, overspeak, overstate, overstress, oxygen mask, oxygen tent, paint, pandowdy, panegyrize, pant, pastry, pasty, patisserie, patty, patty-shell, pay tribute, peter out, pie, pile it on, pillow, pipe up, placard, play out, plug, plush, poop out, porter aux nues, post, post bills, post up, powder, powder puff, praise, prate, press notice, press-agent, promote, promotion, public eye, public knowledge, public relations, public report, publicity, publicity story, publicize, publicness, pudding, puff and blow, puff of air, puff of wind, puff up, puffery, puffiness, puffing, pull, pump, pump up, push, putty, quiche, rage, raise, rarefy, reclame, recognition, recommend, reek, report, respiration, respire, review, rodomontade, rosette, rouge, rubber, run down, run out, salute, satin, scuba, scud, scum, sea foam, sell, set in, sigh, silk, sink, smoke, smoking, smoking habit, sneeze, sniff, sniffle, snore, snoring, snort, snuff, snuffle, soapsuds, souffle, speak for Buncombe, speak highly of, speak warmly of, speak well of, spiel, spindrift, spoondrift, spotlight, spray, spume, squall, steam, sternutation, stertor, stinging, stir of air, storm, stretch, stretch the truth, stretching, strudel, succumb, suck, suds, sufflate, support, surf, suspiration, swagger, swansdown, swell, swell out, swellage, swelling, swollenness, tabacism, tabacosis, tabagism, take snuff, talcum, talcum powder, talk big, talk in superlatives, tart, thistledown, throw off, timbale, tipsy cake, tire, tobaccoism, tout, travesty, trifle, trumpet, tumefaction, tumescence, tumidity, tumidness, turgescence, turgidity, turgidness, turnover, tympanism, tympany, up, vanishing cream, vanity case, vapor, vaunt, velvet, vol-au-vent, waft, war paint, wax, weary, wheeze, whiff, whiffet, whiffle, white water, widen, wilt, wind, windiness, wool, word, write up, write-up, zephyr

ROGET THESAURUS

Puff

Fatigue

VB be fatigued, yawn, droop, sink, flag, lose breath, lose wind, gasp, pant, puff, blow, drop, swoon, faint, succumb, fatigue, tire, weary, irk, flag, jade, harass, exhaust, knock up, wear out, prostrate, tax, task, strain, overtask, overwork, overburden, overtax, overstrain.

Expansion

VB become larger &c (large), expand, widen, enlarge, extend, grow, increase, incrassate, swell, gather, fill out, deploy, take open order, dilate, stretch, distend, spread, mantle, wax, grow up, spring up, bud, bourgeon, shoot, sprout, germinate, put forth, vegetate, pullulate, open, burst forth, gain flesh, gather flesh, outgrow, spread like wildfire, overrun, be larger than, surpass, render larger &c (large), expand, spread, extend, aggrandize, distend, develop, amplify, spread out, widen, magnify, rarefy, inflate, puff, blow up, stuff, pad, cram, exaggerate, fatten.

Boasting

N boasting, boast, vaunt, crake, pretense, pretensions, puff, puffery, flourish, fanfaronade, gasconade, blague, bluff, gas, highfalutin, highfaluting, hot air, spread-eagleism, brag, braggardism, bravado, bunkum, buncombe, jactitation, jactancy, bounce, venditation, vaporing, rodomontade, bombast, fine talking, tall talk, magniloquence, teratology, heroics, Chauvinism, exaggeration, vanity, vox et praeterea nihil, much cry and little wool, brutum fulmen, exultation, gloriation, glorification, flourish of trumpets, triumph, boaster, braggart, braggadocio, Gascon, fanfaron, pretender, soi-disant, blower, bluffer, Foxy Quiller, blusterer, charlatan, jack-pudding, trumpeter, puppy, boasting, magniloquent, flaming, Thrasonic, stilted, gasconading, braggart, boastful, pretentious, soi-disant, vainglorious, highfalutin, highfaluting, spread- eagle, elate, elated, jubilant, triumphant, exultant, in high feather, flushed, flushed with victory, cock-a-hoop, on stilts, vaunted, vauntingly, let the galled jade wince, facta non verba.

VB boast, make a boast of, brag, vaunt, Puff, show off, flourish, crake, crack, trumpet, strut, swagger, vapor, blague, blow, four-flush, bluff, exult, crow, crow over, neigh, chuckle, triumph, throw up one's cap, talk big, se faire valoir, faire claquer son fouet, take merit to oneself, make a merit of, sing Io triumphe, holloa before one is out of the wood.

Approbation

VB approve, approbate, think good, think much of, think well of, think highly of, esteem, value, prize, set great store by, set great store on, do justice to, appreciate, honor, hold in esteem, look up to, admire, like, be in favor of, wish Godspeed, hail, hail with satisfaction, stand up for, stick up for, uphold, hold up, countenance, sanction, clap on the back, pat on the back, keep in countenance, indorse, give credit, recommend, mark with a white mark, mark with a stone, commend, belaud, praise, laud, compliment, pay a tribute, bepraise, clap the hands, applaud, cheer, acclamate, encore, panegyrize, eulogize, cry up, proner, puff, extol, extol to the skies, magnify, glorify, exalt, swell, make much of, flatter, bless, give a blessing to, have a good word for, say a good word for, speak well of, speak highly of, speak in high terms of, sing the praises of, sound the praises of, chaunt the praises of, resound the praises of, sing praises to, cheer to the echo, applaud to the echo, applaud to the very echo, cheer to the very echo, redound to the honor, redound to the praise, redound to the credit of, do credit to, deserve praise, recommend itself, pass muster, be praised, receive honorable mention, be in favor with, be in high favor with, ring with the praises of, win golden opinions, gain credit, find favor with, stand well in the opinion of, laudari a laudato viro.

Flattery

VB flatter, praise to the skies, puff, wheedle, cajole, glaver, coax, fawn upon, faun upon, humor, gloze, soothe, pet, coquet, slaver, butter, jolly, bespatter, beslubber, beplaster, beslaver, lay it on thick, overpraise, earwig, cog, collogue, truckle to, pander to, pandar to, suck up to, kiss the ass of, pay court to, court, creep into the good graces of, curry favor with, hang on the sleeve of, fool to the top of one's bent, lick the dust, lay the flattering unction to one's soul, gild the pill, make things pleasant, overestimate, exaggerate.

Wind

N wind, draught, flatus, afflatus, efflation, eluvium, air, breath, breath of air, puff, whiff, zephyr, blow, breeze, drift, aura, stream, current, jet stream, undercurrent, gust, blast, squall, gale, half a gale, storm, tempest, hurricane, whirlwind, tornado, samiel, cyclone, anticyclone, typhoon, simoon, simoom, harmattan, monsoon, trade wind, sirocco, mistral, bise, tramontane, levanter, capful of wind, fresh breeze, stiff breeze, keen blast, blizzard, barber, candelia, chinook, foehn, khamsin, norther, vendaval, wuther, windiness, ventosity, rough weather, dirty weather, ugly weather, stress of weather, dirty sky, mare's tail, thick squall, black squall, white squall, anemography, aerodynamics, wind gauge, weathercock, vane, weather- vane, wind sock, anemometer, anemoscope, sufflation, insufflation, perflation, inflation, afflation, blowing, fanning, ventilation, sneezing, errhine, sternutative, sternutatory, sternutation, hiccup, hiccough, catching of the breath, Eolus, Boreas, Zephyr, cave of Eolus, air pump, air blower, lungs, bellows, blowpipe, fan, ventilator, punkah, branchiae, gills, flabellum, vertilabrum, whiffle ball, blowing, windy, flatulent, breezy, gusty, squally, stormy, tempestuous, blustering, boisterous, pulmonic, pulmonary, lull'd by soft zephyrs, the storm is up and all is on the hazard, the winds were wither'd in the stagnant air, while mocking winds are piping loud, winged with red lightning and tempestuous rage.

VB blow, waft, blow hard, blow great guns, blow a hurricane, wuther, stream, issue, respire, breathe, puff, whiff, whiffle, gasp, wheeze, snuff, snuffle, sniff, sniffle, sneeze, cough, fan, ventilate, inflate, perflate, blow up.

Sweetness

N sweetness, dulcitude, sugar, syrup, treacle, molasses, honey, manna, confection, confectionary, sweets, grocery, conserve, preserve, confiture, jam, julep, sugar-candy, sugar-plum, licorice, marmalade, plum, lollipop, bonbon, jujube, comfit, sweetmeat, apple butter, caramel, damson, glucose, maple sirup, maple syrup, maple sugar, mithai, sorghum, taffy, nectar, hydromel, mead, meade, metheglin, honeysuckle, liqueur, sweet wine, aperitif, sugar cane, sugar beets, desert, pastry, pie, cake, candy, ice cream, tart, puff, pudding (food), dulcification, dulcoration, sweetener, corn syrup, cane sugar, refined sugar, beet sugar, dextrose, artificial sweetener, saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame, Sweet'N Low, sweet, saccharine, sacchariferous, dulcet, candied, honied, luscious, lush, nectarious, melliferous, sweetened, sweet as a nut, sweet as sugar, sweet as honey, sickly sweet, eau sucr_ee, sweets to the sweet.

Untruth

N untruth, falsehood, lie, story, thing that is not, fib, bounce, crammer, taradiddle, whopper, jhuth, forgery, fabrication, invention, misstatement, misrepresentation, perversion, falsification, gloss, suggestio falsi, exaggeration, invention, fabrication, fiction, fable, nursery tale, romance, absurd story, untrue story, false story, trumped up story, trumped up statement, thing devised by the enemy, canard, shave, sell, hum, traveler's tale, Canterbury tale, cock and bull story, fairy tale, fake, claptrap, press agent's yarn, puff, puffery (exaggeration), myth, moonshine, bosh, all my eye and Betty Martin, mare's nest, farce, irony, half truth, white lie, pious fraud, mental reservation, pretense, pretext, false plea, subterfuge, evasion, shift, shuffle, make-believe, sham, profession, empty words, Judas kiss, disguise, untrue, false, phony, trumped up, void of foundation, without- foundation, fictive, far from the truth, false as dicer's oaths, unfounded, ben trovato, invented, fabulous, fabricated, forged, fictitious, factitious, supposititious, surreptitious, elusory, illusory, ironical, soi-disant, se non e vero e ben trovato, where none is meant that meets the ear.

Exaggeration

N exaggeration, expansion, hyperbole, stretch, strain, coloring, high coloring, caricature, caricatura, extravagance, Baron Munchausen, men in buckram, yarn, fringe, embroidery, traveler's tale, fish story, gooseberry, storm in a teacup, much ado about nothing, puff, puffery, rant, figure of speech, facon de parler, stretch of fancy, stretch of the imagination, flight of fancy, false coloring, aggravation, exaggerated, overwrought, bombastic, hyperbolical, on stilts, fabulous, extravagant, preposterous, egregious, outre, highflying, hyperbolically, excitabat enim fluctus in simpulo.

VB exaggerate, magnify, pile up, aggravate, amplify, overestimate, hyperbolize, overcharge, overstate, overdraw, overlay, overshoot the mark, overpraise, make over much, over the most of, strain, strain over a point, stretch, stretch a point, go great lengths, spin a long yarn, draw with a longbow, shoot with a longbow, deal in the marvelous, out-Herod Herod, run riot, talk at random, heighten, overcolor, color highly, color too highly, broder, flourish, color, puff.