/ English Dictionary

PUFF UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

To swell or cause to enlarge

Example:

puffed out chests

Synonyms:

blow up; puff; puff out; puff up

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "puff up" is one way to...):

intumesce; swell; swell up; tumefy; tumesce (expand abnormally)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

Did his feet puff up?

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make larger or distend

Example:

The estimates were puffed up

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "puff up" is one way to...):

amplify; blow up; expand; inflate (exaggerate or make bigger)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Praise extravagantly

Example:

The critics puffed up this Broadway production

Synonyms:

puff; puff up

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "puff up" is one way to...):

praise (express approval of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Become filled with pride, arrogance, or anger

Example:

The mother was swelling with importance when she spoke of her son

Synonyms:

puff up; swell

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "puff up" is one way to...):

act; behave; do (behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Credits

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE