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. Alsoblow draughts to remove (an opponent's draught) from the board for failure to make a capture
4. obsolete.
   tr to bully
5. huffing and puffing
   huffing and puffing empty threats or objections; bluster

Derived Forms

• ˈhuffish, adjective
• ˈhuffiness, noun
• ˈhuffily, 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 addition to the idiom beginning with huff , also see in a huff .

Example Sentences

It was completely quiet except for the whir of my cassette and the huff of my own breathing, my bike rolling over the slickrock and striated sandstone.

From Outside Online

Meanwhile, Godzilla leaves Florida in a huff and makes his way to Hong Kong, on the way encountering King Kong, who is being transported to a Hollow Earth portal by boat.

From Time

Walking out in a huff would be rude, which is why you will be discovering unavoidable conflicts, for which you will apologize on your way out the door.

From Washington Post

With that, he took a huff off a morning joint and moved into the throng of jovial patrons.

From The Daily Beast

So we salute you, Mr. Fielder, even as we continue to huff and puff at the gym in pursuit of those rippling ridges.

From The Daily Beast

In response, Smith quit the party in a huff that July, trashing it as insufficiently principled on his way out the door.

From The Daily Beast

In elementary school, children will disagree and fight, then storm away in a huff and simply ignore each other.

From The Daily Beast

Her grandmother, Elisabeth Huff, saw her last week, at her birthday party.

From The Daily Beast

Their capital was limited and Mr. Young gave Mr. Huff his note for seven thousand dollars for a half interest in the business.

From Project Gutenberg

Oh, no, he went off in a terrible huff because the girls laid their plans before him and told him what they were going to do.

From Project Gutenberg

And the Colonel was so devoted to her, he might go off in a huff as poor Job Manning had done, and stand it out to the bitter end.

From Project Gutenberg

He's gone off in a huff about something; never mind, luncheon comes up all the same.

From Project Gutenberg

Patrick may perhaps fume and get into a huff about it, but who cares for Patrick?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• heave
• puff