to puff up
2
4.4
- phrasal verb
- /pʌf ʌp/
:
hinchar
- Bessie feels all puffed up like bread dough rising.
- feathers puffed up
- puffed up the pillow
- body was puffed up
All right, once more take a deep breath, close your mouth and puff up your cheeks.
- All right, once more take a deep breath, close your mouth and puff up your cheeks.
- They're kind of like a mating animal that will feel the need to puff up feathers bigger to remain dominant.
- The males have this big red chest that puffs up and they do this little whistle and then the females come around and choose their mate.
- And they were either puffing up inert air that was that didn't smell at all, or they were perfusing this very pleasant rose scent.
- When when you see that chickens do the same thing and and the mouse puff up, it doesn't make you think, Oh, cool, well, this, this, this is even more important than I thought.
Examples
-
After combing her fingers through it and shaking her head, her hair puffed up hugely.
Fiction book (1999) -
Foods that contain fiber are hard to digest and cause gas that puffs up your stomach.
Blog text (32) -
Though I will try to roll it out a bit thinner next time because it really puffed up.
Blog text (15) -
All right, once more take a deep breath, close your mouth and puff up your cheeks.
-
The bird's breast was somewhat puffed up, the tiny feathers apparently ruffled.
Fiction book (2001) -
Her belly was puffed up, and her chest fluttered in regular wingbeats as the respirator fed her air.
Fiction book (1995) -
A heavy-duty weight lifter, his whole body was puffed up as if he were wearing inflatable life vests under his clothes.
Fiction book (1995) -
She ran water over a shriveled orange sponge and smiled as it puffed up before her.
Fiction book (1993) -
He could feel his sinuses starting to puff up as the liquids in his body shifted in response to weightlessness.
Fiction book (2001) -
As the heat increased, the pastries began to puff up, creating a light and airy texture.
Synonyms
117
3.2
To become larger often by pressure or by soaking in water
44
2.9
To fill something with air so it becomes larger and round
21
4.7
To increase quickly in size or amount
21
3.1
To come out quickly from a surface or container
20
4.1
To swell or make part of the body larger
19
4.9
To become swollen because of gas or fluid
12
8.2
To swell because of pressure inside, for example a stomach or a balloon
7
2.7
To swell or become larger suddenly
7
2.9
To swell so that part of something sticks out
5
3.5
To make something larger by filling with air or pride
5
3.8
To make someone or something fuller and rounder
3
3.7
To stick out in a round shape, like a pocket or balloon
3
3.2
Become larger and rounder because of pressure inside, injury, or a strong feeling
1
5.4
To stick out or swell in a visible way
1
4.5
To make a pillow or cushion fuller by fluffing it
1
9.2
To become much larger, often by filling with air
To make someone or something rounder and fuller
To swell and become larger when heated or when it soaks up water
Antonyms
How Inflated
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to make or become swollen/expanded' follows directly from combining 'puff' (to swell or bulge) with the particle 'up' (indicating increase or raising). This compositional verb + particle pattern is common and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reliably infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Puff up comes from the simple image of blowing air into something so it becomes larger, like using a pump or a frog that puffs its body up. So it means to make something bigger or to become swollen, whether with air, numbers, or strong feeling.