puff
puff / pəf/ • n. 1. a short, explosive burst of breath or wind: a puff of wind swung the weathervane around. ∎ the sound of air or vapor escaping suddenly: the whistle and puff of steam. ∎ a small quantity of vapor 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.2. a light pastry case, typically one made of puff pastry, containing a sweet or savory filling: a cream puff. ∎ a gathered mass of material in a dress or other garment. ∎ a rolled protuberant mass of hair. ∎ a powder puff. ∎ a soft quilt: the plump pillows and puffs with which the snowy beds were piled.3. inf. a review of a work of art, book, or theatrical production, esp. an excessively complimentary one: the publishers sent him a copy of the book hoping for a puff.• v. 1. [intr.] breathe in repeated short gasps: exercises that make you puff. ∎ (of a person, engine, etc.) 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. ∎ [tr.] blow (dust, smoke, or a light object) in a specified direction with a quick breath or blast of air: he lighted his pipe and puffed forth smoke. ∎ move through the air in short bursts: his breath puffed out like white smoke.2. (puff something out/up or puff out/up) cause to swell or become swollen: [tr.] he suddenly sucked his stomach in and puffed his chest out | [intr.] when he was in a temper, his cheeks puffed up and his eyes shrank. ∎ [tr.] (usu. be puffed up) fig. cause to become conceited: he was never puffed up about his writing.3. [tr.] advertise with exaggerated or false praise: publishers have puffed the book on the grounds that it contains new discoveries.
puff
So vb. expel breath with the lips XIII; inflate XVI. perh. repr. OE. *puf or pyf(f) sb., *puffan or pyffan vb., corr. to (M)Du. puffen, Du. pof, poffen, LG. pof, puf; imit. of the sound of the breath.