puffing

puff

P0649600 (pŭf)n.1. a. A short forceful exhalation of breath.b. A short sudden gust of wind.c. A brief sudden emission of air, vapor, or smoke.d. A short sibilant sound produced by a puff.2. An amount of vapor, smoke, or similar material released in a puff.3. An act of drawing in and expelling the breath, as in smoking tobacco.4. A swelling or rounded protuberance.5. Puff pastry.6. A light soft pad for applying powder or lotion.7. A gathered, protruding portion of fabric.8. A light padded bed covering.9. a. An approving or flattering recommendation.b. A piece of writing, as on the jacket of a book, containing often exaggerated praise, used for promotional purposes.10. Genetics A localized region of swelling in certain chromosomes indicating the active synthesis of RNA.v. puffed, puff·ing, puffs v.intr.1. To blow in puffs.2. To come forth in puffs: steam puffing from an engine.3. To breathe forcefully and rapidly: huffed and puffed up the stairs.4. To emit puffs.5. To take puffs on smoking material: puffing on a cigar.6. To swell or seem to swell, as with pride or air. Often used with up: He puffed up and glared at the importuning questioner.v.tr.1. To emit or give forth in puffs.2. To impel with puffs.3. To smoke (a cigar, for example).4. To inflate or distend: The wind puffed out the sail.5. To fill with pride or conceit: The compliment puffed up his ego.6. To publicize with often exaggerated praise: publishers who puff their new books.

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[From Middle English puffen, to puff, from Old English pyffan, perhaps of imitative origin.]

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puff′i·ly adv.puff′i·ness n.puff′y adj.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	puffing - blowing tobacco smoke out into the air; "they smoked up the room with their ceaseless puffing"smoking, smoke - the act of smoking tobacco or other substances; "he went outside for a smoke"; "smoking stinks"
	2.	puffing - an act of forcible exhalation huffing, snortingbreathing out, exhalation, expiration - the act of expelling air from the lungs