puff (redirected from puffily)

huff and puff

Fig. to breathe very hard; to pant as one exerts effort. John came up the stairs huffing and puffing. He huffed and puffed and finally got up the steep hill.

See also: and, huff

puff (away) at something 

1. to blow at or into something in puffs. She puffed away at the beach ball, blowing it up as fast as she could. Todd puffed at the fire until it grew larger.

2. and puff (away) on something to smoke something, such as a cigar, cigarette, or pipe. Scott was puffing away at his pipe. She is always puffing on a cigarette.

puff someone or something up

to boost or promote someone or something. Judy puffed Nell up so much that Nell could not begin to live up to her reputation. Don't puff up your own accomplishments so much.

See also: up

puff something out

to cause something to swell out or expand outward. The frog puffed its throat out and croaked. The frog puffed out its throat and croaked a mighty croak.

See also: out

puff along 

1. [for someone] to run along, puffing to breathe. Sam puffed along, jogging on his morning route. As Wally puffed along, he thought again about going on a diet.

2. [for an engine] to move along, putting out puffs of smoke or steam. The old engine puffed along, driving the small boat slowly up the river. The locomotive puffed along, not making very much headway up the hill.

See also: along

puff out

to swell out. The frog's throat puffed out, and we expected to hear a croak. The sail puffed out, and the boat began to move.

See also: out

puff up

to swell up. Her finger puffed up and she thought she might have an infection. His eyelids had puffed up during the night.

See also: up

puff up (into something)

to assume a larger shape by filling up with air or water; to swell up into something. The strange-looking fish puffed up into a round ball. The fish puffed up and stuck out its spines.

See also: up

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huff and puff 

1. to breathe noisily, usually because you have been doing physical exercise They're so unfit they start huffing and puffing if they have to run further than twenty yards.

2. (informal) to complain noisily about something but not be able to do anything about it They huffed and puffed about the price, but eventually they paid up.

See also: and, huff

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huff and puff

1. to breathe in a noisy manner He was on the top of the hill long before I came up huffing and puffing behind him.

2. to complain The owners will huff and puff about their financial problems and then not do anything to solve them.

See also: and, huff