I. verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English pyffan, of imitative origin Date: before 12th century intransitive verb
1. a. to blow in short gusts, to exhale forcibly, to breathe hard ; pant , to emit small whiffs or clouds (as of smoke) often as an accompaniment to vigorous action , to speak or act in a scornful, conceited, or exaggerated manner,
3. to become distended ; swell , to open or appear in or as if in a puff, to form a chromosomal puff, transitive verb
1. to emit, propel, blow, or expel by or as if by puffs ; waft , to draw on (as a cigar, cigarette, or pipe) with intermittent exhalations of smoke,
2. to distend with or as if with air or gas ; inflate , to make proud or conceited ; elate , c. to praise extravagantly and usually with exaggeration , advertise ,
II. noun
Date: 13th century
1. an act or instance of puffing ; whiff , a slight explosive sound accompanying a puff, a perceptible cloud or aura emitted in a puff, draw 1a, a light round hollow pastry,
3. a slight swelling ; protuberance , a fluffy mass: as, pouf 2, a small fluffy pad for applying cosmetic powder, a soft loose roll of hair, a quilted bed covering, a commendatory or promotional notice or review, an enlarged region of a chromosome that is associated with intensely active genes involved in RNA synthesis, puffiness noun puffy adjective
III. adjective
Date: 1943
of, relating to, or designed for promotion or flattery