1A short, explosive burst of breath or wind.

1. 1.1 The sound of air or vapour escaping suddenly.
   the whistle and puff of steam

   Example sentencesExamples

   • She made a puff sound and turned away as to avoid my question or to change the subject, to not let me see her calculating expression.
   • Three puffs of steam from the ship's whistle verified it received and understood the message.
   • Letting a puff of tired laughter escape his lips, Shanza added, ‘I spoke to Dezra.’
   • Melanie huffs, puffs and squeaks as the bird's voice.
   • He blew out a puff sound which vibrated his lips.
   • You'll hear rather than see the unassuming clank of diesel locos sliding in and out of Newton Dale and the more exuberant klaxon and puff, puff, puff of the steam trains.
   • What a ridiculous speech and what a lot of puff and whistle about nothing!
   • Soon with a whistle and a puff a steam train chugged through the snaky valley below.
   • Instead, water is superheated by low-voltage electricity delivered from the track, producing enough steam to run the train for up to half an hour complete with authentic puffs, whistles and whiffs of hot oil.
   • He opened fire, the silencers muffling the gunfire to a small puff noise.
2. 1.2 A small quantity of vapour or smoke, emitted in one blast.
   the fire breathed out a puff of blue smoke

   Example sentencesExamples

   • But even with my eyes half shut I can see puffs of white vapour float out in front of me with every exhalation.
   • He didn't even leave behind a puff of smoke, as more inept magicians (in other words, most magicians) were wont to do.
   • He promptly disappeared in a puff of blue smoke.
   • The mules stamped; dust rose in little puffs under their hoofs.
   • Off goes the magician's assistant in a puff of smoke.
   • Of course, it's not good to see a cherished icon of the community disappear in a puff of smoke, but I can't pretend my feelings about the disappearance of this old bird were anything but mixed.
   • One of Bradford's best known landmarks disappeared in a puff of smoke yesterday.
   • All this confusion and misery is going to blow away like a puff of smoke, and I'm going to be cured?
   • She lit up and blew a puff of smoke out of the window.
   • My hands already numb, I held them to my mouth and blew slowly, watching as the puffs of white escaped my lips and warmed my hands before dissipating into the cold.
   • With that, the adorable little demon disappeared in a puff of sulfurous smoke leaving behind only a feeling of unspeakable dread.
   • Not surprisingly, whale spouts can seem rather tiny out there, small puffs of vapour that hang in the air only slightly longer than the spray from a wave.
   • A little crowd of good old boys, coaches and kids send puffs of steam into the frigid air.
   • When it impacted, it would release a puff of smoke.
   • Hundreds of people lined the platform to watch the train, one of the last steam locomotives built by British Railways, arrive amid puffs of steam.
   • In the passenger seat, small puffs of steam came from the pizza box.
   • Everyone rushes for their cameras while he turns into a puff of smoke.
   • He grinned, blowing out a puff of smoke, then did a courtly bow to the quarter-deck.
   • Rain was pelting down and small puffs of steam were visible from everyone's mouth.
   • Soon the ancient valley echoed to the sounds of grunting throwers, whose shots raised puffs of dust as they landed with a thud on the bare, sun-baked earth.
3. 1.3 An act of drawing quickly on a pipe, cigarette, or cigar.
   he took a puff of his cigar

   Example sentencesExamples

   • In return, Al took a big puff on his cigar and exhaled a cloud of smoke that curled around Sam's face.
   • They were laughing loudly and drew puffs on their cigarettes when the guards weren't looking.
   • He sank back down into his chair and took another puff of his cigar.
   • He took a puff from his French cigarette and smiled.
   • The Rat Cutter took a few defiant puffs on his cigar.
   • A typical smoker will take 10 puffs on a cigarette over a period of 5 minutes that the cigarette is lit.
   • These chance meetings take place in front of the general buzz of rich collectors, some of whom puff on cigars, tycoon-like, only a few steps from renaissance oils.
   • An average puff of a cigarette has been estimated to contain 4 billion particles of dust.
   • And he had his ice cream, a little puff on his cigar, and then, back to bed.
   • He took a long puff of his cigar then sighed, blowing a steady stream of smoke.
   • I've only ever had a couple of puffs of a cigarette, and I found it a thoroughly unpleasant experience (although I have to admit to being partial to the odd cigar now and then).
   • But often one sip of spirits or a few puffs of a cigarette are enough to satisfy their curiosity for a while at least.
   • He is so lazy that he dozes off in the time between two puffs of his cigarette.
   • Smokers who received methoxsalen plus nicotine smoked fewer cigarettes, had longer intervals between cigarettes, and took fewer puffs on each cigarette.
   • In between puffs on the ever-present cigarette he will reminisce about golf for hours.
   • Cat looked down, and took a puff from her cigarette.
   • He bent down and picked up the still-burning cigarette and took a puff.
   • I've had exactly two puffs on a cigarette, in high school.
   • And so it was that not 48 hours after major surgery, my little mother was once again home, ensconced in her armchair, taking long, therapeutic puffs on her cigarette.
   • ‘I can talk until I'm blue in the face,’ he once famously said, in between puffs on his Dominican cigar.

   Synonyms

   pull

   informal drag
4. 1.4British informal mass noun Breath.
   after a chase of over three miles he had finally run out of puff

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Masters of the last-gasp victory, Cranfield finally ran out of puff in the grand final of the popular University Challenge.
   • Scotland isn't very good at blowing its own trumpet, but luckily Tommy has puff to spare.
   • I'm not as young as I was, though, and I ran out of puff on the way back.
   • It is the one Grand Slam she has not won and, provided she can regain enough puff, she wants to have a crack at redressing that balance.
   • The kind of place, in fact, where mere mortals who ran out of puff on steep hills and couldn't stay upright on skis would not get much joy.
   • His game plan was simple: keep the old man running around for as long as possible and wait for him to run out of puff.
   • Start blowing them up the day before - a lot of balloons takes a lot of puff.
   • This is now becoming a season of excuses from players and managers and the bottom line appears to be that the poor luvvies on the field have run out of puff.
   • As they became ever more nervy when a clinching second failed to arrive, Celtic betrayed themselves as a team collectively running out of puff.
   • She said: ‘It's been harder to play since I've been pregnant as I run out of puff more easily.’
   • John has more puff than ever because he's stubbed out his smoking habit.
   • Defending himself Mr Stickley said: ‘I suffer from asthma and so I could not bring up enough puff for the test.’
   • When she's not playing her instrument, Mrs Jackson still uses plenty of puff by whizzing round Amesbury on her mountain bike.
   • England were able to shift the heavier Welsh pack around the paddock, presuming that the men in red shirts would run out of puff.
   • Counter-punchers, by their very nature, are always chasing the aggressor and after years of running to get to the top and two years of staying there, he began to run out of puff.
   • There are short cuts to the start if you're running out of puff or towing a trailer.
   • I would estimate that Leeds scored 24 or so points on skill, and the rest on still being on the park after Toulouse ran out of puff.
   • And let's face it: he wouldn't be much use if, by the time he got to the scene of an accident, he was too out of puff to do anything to help.
   • Two musicians had enough puff left over after blowing their instruments to chase a thief who stole their band's collection bucket.
   • Although just over half the distance of the London Marathon, the walkers needed a lot of puff to complete the trek around Canvey.

2usually with modifier or in combination A light pastry case, typically one made of puff pastry, containing a sweet or savoury filling.

3informal A review of a work of art, book, or theatrical production, especially an excessively complimentary one.

1. 3.1British An advertisement, especially one exaggerating the value of the goods advertised.
   the distinction between a trader's puff and a statement having legal significance is a fine one

   mass noun extravagant statements are regarded as salesman's puff

   Example sentencesExamples

   • This document might in other circumstances not be taken too seriously, and be treated as a mere advertising puff, in which a strict regard for the truth is not to be expected.
   • Dr. Worden, an expert called by Wang, gave his opinion that many of the statements in the Response were salesmen's puff.
   • What they really want is a simple, functional, informative experience which loads quickly and has a minimum of advertising puff masquerading as content.
   • The Big Caff, despite the promotional puff was actually quite small and bleak.
   • Not all statements are contractual in nature as some may be mere representations or commendatory puffs which, if true, lack any legal value.

   Synonyms

   publicity, advertising, promotion, marketing, propaganda, push, puffery, build-up, boosting

   patter, line, pitch, sales talk, presentation

   informal spiel, hype, ballyhoo

4A gathered mass of material in a dress or other garment.

1. 4.1 A rolled protuberant mass of hair.
   her hair was drawn up into a series of padded puffs and curves

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Her puffs of tobacco-brown hair billowing about her shoulders.
   • In a matter of minutes, an unexpected shower left me with two Afro puffs screwed down to my scalp.
   • With her puff of black hair and sharp violet eyes, she shone out from among the other homogenous bland and blonde MGM beauties of her time, suggesting intelligence behind the acting.
   • From crimped waves to Afro puffs, fringed ends to soft waves, hair that gets noticed for being anything but flat is where it's at.
   • Renee coloured mildly, and tossed one cloud-like puff of brown hair over her shoulder to cover her face.
2. 4.2North American An eiderdown.
   the snowy beds were piled with plump pillows and puffs

   Example sentencesExamples

   • In the center a low table was set up surrounded with chairs, pillows and puffs.
   • I rolled back onto the bed feeling the residual warmth of our bodies still radiating from the pillows and puff.

5A powder puff.

1no object Breathe in repeated short gasps.

1. 1.1with adverbial Move with short, noisy breaths or bursts of air or steam.
   the train came puffing in

   Example sentencesExamples

   • To his left and right, men broke from the packing of their supplies to watch him run down the row, steam puffing from the horse's nostrils.
   • It was Christmas Day the following day and as she looked through the carriage window, she could only see a desolate blackness, the fields flying by as the train puffed and rattled towards home.
   • Mist on the mountain draws me back sun on the sea so grand steam trains puffing on the railroad track away in the Isle of Man.
   • In Victoria Square, under a clear blue sky with the frost just off the grass and a crowd puffing little balls of steam into the air, a mass of bands waited for the off.
   • Steam locomotives no longer puff their way along the 200-km line from Bangkok to the Thai royal sea resort of Hua Hin on the Gulf of Thailand.
   • We drew apart, the mist from our breath puffing into each other's faces.
   • Rain poured down, stinging her eyes, warm breath puffing in front of her face.
   • There was complete and utter silence as Maggie looked around and the train puffed slowly away, gaining speed until it was a speck at the end of the valley.
   • That train puffed along - the sounds of the shovelling of coal could be heard, then the brakes as it slowed at the end of the track.
   • During rush hour in the mornings and afternoons, Caribbean cities are dominated by metal, plastic and rubber objects, puffing hydrocarbons and other gases into the atmosphere.
   • His mouth got wider than it seemed possible, puffing short bursts of air out trying to make it sound like a laugh.
   • The train puffed away into the distance, the funnel trailing black and white clouds as it departed.
   • This year, we made the journey to Mallaig by car, enjoying the beautiful scenery, and even catching a glimpse of the Jacobite train as she puffed her way north.
   • Crisp wafts of frozen breath puffed from his gritted teeth.
   • It is a million miles away from the romantic shots of steam trains puffing their way across rural landscapes that most of us are used to.
   • And the small groups of people standing, with their heads bare and bowed, in the fields as the train carrying us all to Oxfordshire puffed its way to his chosen resting place.
   • Even if trains aren't your thing, ask for a demonstration anyway, and be intrigued by the sounds of the miniature trains puffing along the track, the shovelling of coal and the hiss of the brakes.
   • And Knysna, where you can board the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe, a tiny steam train that puffs its way round the lagoon to George, down the coast.
   • Their breath puffed in rapid white clouds that hung in the air as they stood there and panted, watching me with wide eyes.
   • He was puffing in short breaths and barely noticed his daughter pointing in the direction ahead of her.
2. 1.2 Smoke a pipe, cigarette, or cigar.
   he puffed on his pipe contentedly

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Although he is still seeing a psychologist and is still on medication, he seems at ease with himself as he puffs on a roll-up in the living room of his home in the north of York.
   • She lit up a cigarette and began puffing at it unconsciously.
   • By the time they turn 15, they're puffing on 15 cigarettes every day.
   • She playfully took the pipe out of the man's mouth and puffed on it.
   • I puffed on my cigarette and sat and watched the sun come up.
   • Gil puffed on his cigarette and sipped his brandy.
   • He finds her standing on the terrace in an old cashmere pullover, puffing on her morning cigarette.
   • Simone was now by my side, puffing on a cigarette.
   • Mr Boddington ignored the notice, and puffed away at his cigarette.
   • He puffed on a cigarette and tapped nervously to country music coming from the radio.
   • Candice sat beside him and poked him in the ribs as she puffed on a cigarette, ‘So?’
   • He'd sit there and stare into space, puffing at his cigarette.
   • He puffed on the cigarette between his lips and crossed his arms; it was getting a little chilly out.
   • She pulled the door back and forth to make the smoke drift outside, and left it open before going into the kitchen where her dad was sitting at the table, lonesomely puffing away on his cigarette.
   • After circling the animal for a few minutes - and puffing on another cigarette - Wills began taking his photographs.
   • His lips close round it in concentration and he puffs deeply for a few moments, trying to re-light it.
   • In one hand he held a book, with the other he puffed on a dark, wooden pipe.
   • One of the remaining models pulled out a cigarette and puffed on it nervously in an attempt to relieve the stress.
   • Inexperienced writers may choose the obvious detail, the man puffing on the cigarette, the young woman chewing on what's left of her fingernails.
   • In one lounge, a heavily made-up Chinese hostess with robustly arched eyebrows sits calmly at a table, playing solitaire as she puffs on a cigarette.

   Synonyms

   smoke, draw on, pull on, drag on, suck at/on
3. 1.3with object Blow (dust, smoke, or a light object) with a quick breath or blast of air.
   he puffed out smoke through his long cigarette holder

   Example sentencesExamples

   • She puffs some smoke into the younger girl's face to emphasize.
   • These days the restaurant's patrons are more likely to be talking about multimedia money than to be philosophically puffing Gauloise smoke into the air.
   • This may be because when he started mixing up a bucket in the new kitchen, billows of dust began puffing under the doors onto my new upstairs carpets.
   • It puffed a whiff of smoke and crouched down to their level.
   • They managed that by mixing vinegar with baking soda and having several smokers puff smoke into the actor's face from off camera.
   • The brick chimney was puffing little gray rings of wood smoke.
   • Bert blew on his knuckles, like a gunman puffing smoke from the barrel of his revolver.
   • He puffed smoke into the gray day, a brilliant smile gracing his beautiful face.
   • The movement of the cards animates a tiny ship that puffs big billows of smoke and zigzags into an empty white space.
   • I sighed, watching my breath catch as condensation in the air, looking like I was puffing smoke.
   • The dragon puffed a bit of smoke from its nostrils and opened its small wings.
   • Boiling pools of dark mysterious liquid puff smoke of rancid sulphur fumes.
   • However at one point it puffed smoke which was a bit concerning, and on its final pass a hazy smoke trail could be discerned.
   • He filled it with tobacco and lit it, puffing the sweet smelling smoke around the car.
   • I inhaled deeply and puffed a great wind of air to blow out the 18 tiny tea lights.
   • I remember the smokestack on the train puffing thick black smoke into the air.
   • Admin blinked at the question, puffing some smoke.
4. 1.4 Move through the air in short bursts.
   his breath puffed out like white smoke

2be puffed upSwell or become swollen.

1. 2.1be puffed up Be conceited.
   he was never puffed up about his writing

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Pride is viewed as a negative characteristic, a feeling of conceit or being puffed up with an arrogant superiority.
   • Canada is puffed up that we signed the Kyoto Protocol in the face of a big industry lobby.
   • These two words connote at once a corporeal indwelling of the Divine (a Divine madness which is necessary for the making of sagacious, artistic utterance), and an empty, arrogant persiflage (as in being puffed up, or ‘blowing hot air’).
   • He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
   • Snoz, the 38-year-old skateboarder, will be puffed up with pride at 2.30 pm tomorrow when the Lord Mayor of York opens the new, purpose-built ‘runway’ at the former carpark at Foss Bank near Sainsbury's.
   • They who follow him should not be puffed up with pride at the idea that they are the seeing, the dwellers in the sunshine of Truth, the living who are not dead in spirit.
   • This conversation made it very clear who was puffed up with pride and obstinately trying to impose his will on others, and who was trying to be reasonable and accommodating.
   • Not only would private prayer keep them from being puffed up by human praise, it would help them focus their hearts on God, removing them from the distractions of the world.
   • ‘Regulars must not be puffed up,’ he wrote in 1755, ‘Indians must be engag'd if possible and Americans must do our business.’
   • History meant to be puffed up with nationalist pride hangs slackly.
   • The Governor was puffed up, already tasting certain success in the fossil fuels industry.

3with object Advertise with exaggerated or false praise.