Huff

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ÊŒf

Origin

Probably an altered spelling of earlier *hough, represented by Scots hech ("to breathe hard, pant"). Compare also German hauchen ("to breathe").

Full definition of huff

Noun

1. A heavy breath; a grunt or sigh.With a huff, he lifted the box onto the back of the truck.
2. An expression of anger, annoyance, disgust, etc.Freyja left in a huff.
3. (obsolete) A boaster; one swelled with a false sense of value or importance.Lewd, shallow-brained huffs make atheism and contempt of religion the sole badge ... of wit. — South.

Verb

1. To breathe heavily.The run left him huffing and puffing.
2. To inhale psychoactive inhalants.
3. To say in a huffy manner.
4. (draughts) To remove an opponent's piece as a forfeit for deliberately not taking a piece (often signalled by blowing on it).
5. To enlarge; to swell up.Bread huffs.
6. To bluster or swell with anger, pride, or arrogance; to storm; to take offense.
• SouthThis senseless arrogant conceit of theirs made them huff at the doctrine of repentance.
7. To treat with insolence and arrogance; to chide or rebuke rudely; to hector; to bully.
• EchardYou must not presume to huff us.----