puff
A small, short cloud or blow of air, smoke, or steam.
A small, brief burst or cloud of air, smoke, steam, or similar gas.
To breathe fast and hard, usually after you run or climb.
To breathe quickly and with effort, often noisily, especially after physical exertion.
To smoke a cigarette or pipe, taking smoke into your mouth and blowing it out.
To smoke a cigarette, pipe, or similar object by drawing the smoke into the mouth and then blowing it out.
To become bigger and rounder, or to make something bigger and rounder, often with air.
To swell or cause something to swell and become larger or rounder, often by filling it with air or making it fluffy.
One time that you take smoke into your mouth from a cigarette or pipe and blow it out.
A single act of breathing smoke in and out from a cigarette, pipe, or similar object.
An article or report that says too many good things about something, like an advertisement.
A piece of writing, broadcast, or other communication that praises someone or something too much, usually as a form of promotion or advertising.
A small, light cake made from pastry, usually with something inside like cream.
A small, light pastry, often round and filled with cream, custard, or another sweet or savory filling.
A small, soft pad that you use to put powder on your face.
A small, soft pad used to apply face powder or other cosmetic powder.
To talk or write about something in a very positive way to make people want it.
To advertise or promote someone or something by giving exaggerated or excessive praise.
- Base: puff
- Plural: puff, puffs
- Base: puff
- 3rd Person Singular: puffs
- Present Participle: puffing
- Past: puffed
a puff of air
1small short burst of air
A small, short blow of air.
- A cold puff of air came in when he opened the door.
- She blew a puff of air to cool the hot tea.
- I felt a light puff of air on my neck.
a puff of smoke
1small short cloud of smoke
A small, short cloud of smoke.
- A puff of smoke rose from the match and then disappeared.
- With a puff of smoke, the magician seemed to vanish.
- We saw only a small puff of smoke from the engine.
cream puff
1round pastry filled with cream
A small, round pastry that is empty inside and filled with sweet cream.
- We shared a plate of cream puffs for dessert.
- She baked cream puffs and filled them with vanilla custard.
- The bakery sells chocolate-covered cream puffs.
go up in a puff of smoke
1plans or hopes disappear suddenly
For plans, hopes, or work to end suddenly with no result, as if they disappeared.
- Years of hard work went up in a puff of smoke when the company closed.
- Their travel plans went up in a puff of smoke after the flight was cancelled.
- One mistake and the whole project could go up in a puff of smoke.
huff and puff
1breathe hard or complain loudly
To breathe very hard, or to complain in a loud and angry way.
- He was huffing and puffing after running for the bus.
- She huffed and puffed about the new rules but followed them anyway.
- The children huffed and puffed when they were told to clean their room.
powder puff
1soft pad for putting on powder
A small, soft pad that you use to put face powder on your skin.
- She dabbed her cheeks with a powder puff.
- The compact comes with a mirror and a tiny powder puff.
- Rinse your powder puff often to keep it clean.
puff and pant
1breathe very hard after effort
To breathe very hard and fast, usually after running or climbing.
- We were puffing and panting by the time we reached the top.
- He came in puffing and panting, five minutes late.
- The dog puffed and panted in the summer heat.
puff away
1keep smoking continuously
To keep smoking, taking many puffs one after another.
- He sat on the balcony, puffing away on his cigar.
- They puffed away in the cold outside the office.
- She puffed away quietly while reading her book.
puff on
1smoke a cigarette or pipe
To smoke a cigarette, pipe, or similar thing by taking smoke into your mouth and blowing it out.
- He sat at the bar, quietly puffing on a cigarette.
- An old man puffed on a pipe by the fire.
- They stood outside puffing on their vapes.
puff out
1make cheeks or chest rounder
To make part of your body or something else rounder and larger by filling it with air, or to become like that.
- He puffed out his chest and walked onto the stage.
- She puffed out her cheeks like a balloon to make the children laugh.
- The wind suddenly puffed out the sails and the boat moved forward.
puff pastry
1light flaky layered pastry dough
A type of pastry dough that has many thin layers and becomes light and flaky when you bake it.
- She made a tart using frozen puff pastry.
- The top of the pie was covered with puff pastry.
- Puff pastry becomes very light and flaky in the oven.
puff piece
1overly positive promotional article
A newspaper or online article that says too many good things about someone or something, like an advertisement.
- Many readers criticized the story as a puff piece for the company.
- The interview felt like a puff piece and never asked tough questions.
- That magazine is known for publishing puff pieces about celebrities.
puff up
1swell physically or with pride
To become larger and rounder, or to make something larger and rounder; sometimes also to become too proud.
- The bread will puff up in the oven.
- She puffed up the pillows on the sofa.
- He puffed up with pride when he heard the news.
puff yourself up
1act too proud or important
To behave as if you are very important or strong, in a way that looks silly or not real.
- He tends to puff himself up when he talks about his job.
- Don’t puff yourself up; just be honest about your skills.
- She puffed herself up and claimed she could do it better than anyone.