puffing Meaning, Definition & Usage

1. noun blowing tobacco smoke out into the air
   
   • they smoked up the room with their ceaseless puffing
2. noun an act of forcible exhalation
   snorting; huffing.
   
3. verb smoke and exhale strongly
   puff; whiff.
   
   • puff a cigar
   • whiff a pipe
4. verb suck in or take (air)
   puff; drag; draw.
   
   • draw a deep breath
   • draw on a cigarette
5. verb breathe noisily, as when one is exhausted
   puff; gasp; heave; pant.
   
   • The runners reached the finish line, panting heavily
6. verb make proud or conceited
   puff.
   
   • The sudden fame puffed her ego
7. verb praise extravagantly
   puff up; puff.
   
   • The critics puffed up this Broadway production
8. verb speak in a blustering or scornful manner
   puff.
   
   • A puffing kind of man
9. verb to swell or cause to enlarge, "Her faced puffed up from the drugs"
   puff up; puff; blow up; puff out.
   
   • puffed out chests
10. verb blow hard and loudly
    puff; chuff; huff.
    
    • he huffed and puffed as he made his way up the mountain

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