Puff

Puff, puf, v.i. to blow in puffs or whiffs: to swell or fill with air: to breathe with vehemence: to blow at, in contempt: to bustle about.—v.t. to drive with a puff: to swell with a wind: to praise in exaggerated terms.—n. a sudden, forcible breath: a sudden blast of wind: a gust or whiff: a fungus ball containing dust: anything light and porous, or swollen and light: a kind of light pastry: a part of a fabric gathered up so as to be left full in the middle: a light ball or pad for dusting powder on the skin, &c.: an exaggerated expression of praise.—ns. Puff′-add′er, a large, venomous African serpent; Puff′-ball, a dried fungus, ball-shaped and full of dust; Puff′-bird, a South American bird resembling the kingfisher in form, but living on insects; Puff′-box, a box for holding powder for the toilet, and a puff for applying it.—adj. Puffed, gathered up into rounded ridges, as a sleeve.—ns. Puff′er, one who puffs: one who raises the prices at an auction in order to excite the eagerness of the bidders to the advantage of the seller; Puff′ery, puffing or extravagant praise.—adv. Puff′ily.—ns. Puff′iness, state of being puffy or turgid: intumescence; Puff′ing, the act of praising extravagantly.—adv. Puff′ingly.—n. Puff′-paste, a short flaky paste for pastry.—adj. Puff′y, puffed out with air or any soft matter: tumid: bombastic: coming in puffs.—Puff up (B.), to inflate. [Imit.; cf. Ger. puffen, &c.]