Main Entry: ¹puff

Pronunciation: \ˈpəf\

Function: verb

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English pyffan, of imitative origin

Date: before 12th century

intransitive verb 1 a (1) : to blow in short gusts (2) : to exhale forcibly b : to breathe hard : pant c : to emit small whiffs or clouds (as of smoke) often as an accompaniment to vigorous action <puff at a pipe>
2 : to speak or act in a scornful, conceited, or exaggerated manner
3 a : to become distended : swell —usually used with up b : to open or appear in or as if in a puff
4 : to form a chromosomal pufftransitive verb 1 a : to emit, propel, blow, or expel by or as if by puffs : waft b : to draw on (as a cigar, cigarette, or pipe) with intermittent exhalations of smoke
2 a : to distend with or as if with air or gas : inflate b : to make proud or conceited : elate c (1) : to praise extravagantly and usually with exaggeration <authors puffing their own work> (2) : advertise