huff

[huhf]

noun

1. a mood of sulking anger; a fit of resentment.

   Just because you disagree, don't walk off in a huff.

   Synonyms: pet, pic, passion, temper

verb (used with object)

1. to give offense to; make angry.

2. to treat with arrogance or contempt; bluster at; hector or bully.

3. Checkers.,  to remove (a piece) from the board as a penalty for failing to make a compulsory capture.

4. Slang.,  to inhale the vapors of in order to become intoxicated.

   to huff glue.

verb (used without object)

1. to take offense; speak indignantly.

2. to puff or blow; breathe heavily.

3. to swell with pride or arrogance; swagger or bluster.

huff

/ hʌf /

noun

1. a passing mood of anger or pique (esp in the phrase in a huff )

verb

1. to make or become angry or resentful

2. (intr) to blow or puff heavily

3. Also: blow. draughts to remove (an opponent's draught) from the board for failure to make a capture

4. obsolete,  (tr) to bully

5. empty threats or objections; bluster

Other Word Forms

• huffish adjective
• huffiness noun
• huffily adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of huff¹

1575–85; imitative; puff

Word History and Origins

Origin of huff¹

C16: of imitative origin; compare _puff

Idioms and Phrases

• in a huff

Example Sentences

Woo huffs and jumps off the table, quickly returning to the plantains in his bowl.

Read more on Literature

Then his rolling gait retreated into the fog as the great red Bloomer engine huffed into the station, billowing steam.

Read more on Literature

Indeed, she had huffed and puffed her way to the end of the hall at a full trot before Penelope even had a chance to catch her eye and offer a look of sympathy.

Read more on Literature

"They huffed and puffed in the second half. It was improved, but not good enough."

Read more on BBC

Meanwhile, Johnson’s Kerr huffs up a set of stairs in a training montage that already belongs to “Rocky.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• heave 
• puff