Breathing heavily or blowing air forcefully in short bursts. Also refers to smoking or to exaggerated promotional claims.
From Middle English 'puffen,' imitative of the sound of forceful breathing or blowing. Related to similar words in other Germanic languages, all mimicking the sound of expelled air.
Puffing beautifully demonstrates onomatopoeia - words that sound like what they describe. The legal term 'puffery' (exaggerated advertising claims) extends this breath metaphor to suggest that such claims are just 'hot air' with no substance.
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