puff

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA(key): /pʌf/ (General Australian, New Zealand) IPA(key): /pɐf/ (Northern England) IPA(key): /pʊf/ Rhymes: -ʌf === Etymology 1 === From Middle English puff, puf, from Old English pyf (“a blast of wind, puff”), from Proto-West Germanic *puf(f)- (“to blow, puff”), of imitative origin. Cognate with Dutch puf (“puff, wind, fart”), Middle Low German puf, pof (“puff”). ==== Noun ==== puff (countable and uncountable, plural puffs) (countable) A sharp exhalation of a small amount of breath through the mouth. (uncountable, slang) The ability to breathe easily while exerting oneself. Synonym: wind (countable) A small quantity of gas or smoke in the air. (countable) A sudden but small gust of wind, smoke, etc. (informal, countable) An act of inhaling smoke from a cigarette, cigar or pipe. Synonym: drag (uncountable, slang) The drug cannabis. Synonyms: see Thesaurus:marijuana (countable) A flamboyant or alluring statement of praise. A portion of fabric gathered up so as to be left full in the middle. (countable) A light cake filled with cream, cream cheese, etc. Synonyms: pastry, cream puff A puffball. A powder puff. (dated, slang) A puffer, one who is employed by the owner or seller of goods sold at auction to bid up the price; an act or scam of that type. (genetics) A region of a chromosome exhibiting a local increase in diameter. (slang, dated, UK) Life. (derogatory, chiefly Northern England, slang) Synonym of poof: a gay man; especially one who is effeminate. ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== === Etymology 2 === From Middle English puffen, from Old English pyffan (“to breathe out, blow with the mouth”). Compare Dutch puffen, German Low German puffen, German puffen, Danish puffe, Swedish puffa. ==== Verb ==== puff (third-person singular simple present puffs, present participle puffing, simple past and past participle puffed) (intransitive) To emit smoke, gas, etc., in puffs. (intransitive) To pant. (transitive, archaic) To advertise. To blow as an expression of scorn. To swell with air; to be dilated or inflated. To breathe in a swelling, inflated, or pompous manner; hence, to assume importance. To drive with a puff, or with puffs. To repel with words; to blow at contemptuously. To cause to swell or dilate; to inflate. To inflate with pride, flattery, self-esteem, etc.; often with up. To praise with exaggeration; to flatter; to call public attention to by praises; to praise unduly. Synonyms: jolly, lay it on thick, soothe; see also Thesaurus:flatter, Thesaurus:glorify ===== Derived terms ===== ===== Translations ===== == Finnish == === Etymology === From English poof. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈpufː/, [ˈpufː] Rhymes: -ufː Syllabification(key): puff Hyphenation(key): puff === Interjection === puff poof (deflating object or a magical disappearance) == Hungarian == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈpufː] Hyphenation: puff Rhymes: -ufː === Etymology 1 === From German puffen. ==== Noun ==== puff (plural puffok) pouf, puff, pouffe (a backless, rounded, cushioned low stool) (dressmaking) pouf (on the upper part of the sleeves) puff, powder puff (a pad of soft material used for the application of cosmetic powder to the face) ===== Declension ===== === Etymology 2 === Back-formation from puffad, puffant, puffaszt. ==== Interjection ==== puff bang! pouf! (onomatopoeia representing a sudden sharp noise or crashing sound) === References === === Further reading === (pouf, puff, pouffe): puff in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN. (bang): puff in Géza Bárczi, László Országh, et al., editors, A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára [The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (ÉrtSz.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN. == Swedish == === Noun === puff c a puff (of gas or smoke) a nudge (gentle push) (figuratively) a nudge, boost (in a positive direction) Synonym: (harder) knuff (journalism) a blurb a poke (on Facebook) a (storage) ottoman stool a (cylindrical) pouf a puff (portion of fabric gathered up on the sleeve or shoulder of a garment), puffing (usually in the plural) a puff (puffed grain) (capitalized) Dale (from Chip 'n' Dale) blurb (short promotional text) ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== puffärm ==== Related terms ==== puffa ==== See also ==== bloss puffra === References === “puff”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish) “puff”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish) “puff”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)