puff

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Puffed p. pr. & vb. n. Puffing. ] [ Akin to G. puffen to pop, buffet, puff, D. poffen to pop, puffen to blow, Sw. puffa to push, to cuff, Dan. puffe to pop, thump. See Puff, n. ] 1. To blow in puffs, or with short and sudden whiffs. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To blow, as an expression of scorn; -- with at. [ 1913 Webster ]

It is really to defy Heaven to puff at damnation. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To breathe quick and hard, or with puffs, as after violent exertion. [ 1913 Webster ]

The ass comes back again, puffing and blowing, from the chase. L' Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To swell with air; to be dilated or inflated. Boyle. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To breathe in a swelling, inflated, or pompous manner; hence, to assume importance. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then came brave Glory puffing by. Herbert. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. 1. To drive with a puff, or with puffs. [ 1913 Webster ]

The clearing north will puff the clouds away. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To repel with words; to blow at contemptuously. [ 1913 Webster ]

I puff the prostitute away. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cause to swell or dilate; to inflate; to ruffle with puffs; -- often with up; as, a bladder puffed with air. [ 1913 Webster ]

The sea puffed up with winds. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To inflate with pride, flattery, self-esteem, or the like; -- often with up. [ 1913 Webster ]

Puffed up with military success. Jowett (Thucyd. ) [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To praise with exaggeration; to flatter; to call public attention to by praises; to praise unduly. “ Puffed with wonderful skill.” Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Puffed up; vain. [ R. ] Fanshawe. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A kind of ball-shaped fungus (Lycoperdon giganteum, and other species of the same genus) full of dustlike spores when ripe; -- called also bullfist, bullfice, puckfist, puff, and puffin. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who puffs; one who praises with noisy or extravagant commendation. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who is employed by the owner or seller of goods sold at suction to bid up the price; a by-bidder. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zool.) (a) Any plectognath fish which inflates its body, as the species of Tetrodon and Diodon of the family Tetraodontidae; -- called also blower, puff-fish, swellfish, and globefish. They are highly poisonous due to the presence of glands containing a potent toxin, tetrodotoxin. Nevertheless they are eaten as a delicacy in Japan, being prepared by specially licensed chefs who remove the poison glands. (b) The common, or harbor, porpoise. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Dyeing) A kier. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of puffing; bestowment of extravagant commendation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Akin to puff. ] 1. (Zool.) An arctic sea bird Fratercula arctica) allied to the auks, and having a short, thick, swollen beak, whence the name; -- called also bottle nose, cockandy, coulterneb, marrot, mormon, pope, and sea parrot. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ The name is also applied to other related species, as the horned puffin (Fratercula corniculata), the tufted puffin (Lunda cirrhata), and the razorbill. [ 1913 Webster ]

Manx puffin, the Manx shearwater. See under Manx. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) The puffball. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A sort of apple. [ Obs. ] Rider's Dict. (1640). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being puffy. [ 1913 Webster ]