puff

noun

• 1a short, explosive burst of breath or wind:a puff of wind swung the weathercock round
• the sound of air or vapour escaping suddenly:the whistle and puff of steam
• a small quantity of vapour or smoke, emitted in one blast:the fire breathed out a puff of blue smoke
• an act of drawing quickly on a pipe, cigarette, or cigar:he took a puff of his cigar
• [mass noun] British informal breath:after a chase of over three miles he had finally run out of puff

• 2 [usually with modifier or in combination] a light pastry case, typically one made of puff pastry, containing a sweet or savoury filling:a jam puff

• 3 informal a review of a work of art, book, or theatrical production, especially an excessively complimentary one:the publishers sent him a copy of the book hoping for a puff
• British 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

• 4a gathered mass of material in a dress or other garment.
• a rolled protuberant mass of hair: her hair was drawn up into a series of padded puffs and curves
• North American an eiderdown: the snowy beds were piled with plump pillows and puffs

• 5a powder puff: she sent her a box of dusting powder with a swansdown puff

verb

• 1 [no object] breathe in repeated short gasps:exercises that make you puff
• [with adverbial] move with short, noisy breaths or bursts of air or steam:the train came puffing in
• smoke a pipe, cigarette, or cigar:he puffed on his pipe contentedly
• [with 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
• move through the air in short bursts:his breath puffed out like white smoke

• 2 (puff something out/up or puff out/up) swell or become swollen: [with object]:he suddenly sucked his stomach in and puffed his chest out [no object]:when he was in a temper, his cheeks puffed up and his eyes shrank
• (be puffed up) be conceited:he was never puffed up about his writing

• 3 [with object] advertise with exaggerated or false praise:publishers have puffed the book on the grounds that it contains new discoveries