puff of air
1
2.1
- noun
:
rafaga de aire
- The child giggled as a puff of air from the balloon touched his face.
- blew a puff of air
- little puff of air
- puff of air on his cheek
Examples
-
I cracked open the window, feeling a puff of air on my forehead, and I concentrated.
Fiction book (1995) -
The first sign was a cool puff of air that
Fiction book (1999) -
A puff of air moved across his hand, collecting the paper, dancing it up and across the room.
Fiction book (1996) -
There was a flash of light, a puff of air, and she stepped out again, clean down to the roots of her hair.
Fiction book (2001) -
When she closes the bag, a puff of air carries the scent of old leather, patchouli, and herbs.
Fiction book (1990) -
A bat flies past my—our—face, coming so close that we feel a puff of air from its wings.
Fiction book (1994) -
Before the doctor, the expansive sphere of smells from Helena Hawryluk's laundry opened: soapy, fuzzy, blown away by a mere puff of air.
Fiction book (2000) -
She blew a puff of air to clear the dust off the table.
-
He felt a cool puff of air as the door opened, bringing in a refreshing breeze.
Synonyms
98
1.0
A very small movement of air
60
3.2
A short puff of air that carries a smell
24
1.5
A short light burst of air, smoke, or breath
3
8.8
A small puff of air carrying a faint smell
Antonyms
How Strong
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a short, light gust of air' is directly and compositionally derived from 'puff' (a brief light gust) combined with 'air' (the atmosphere/breeze), with 'of' marking the relationship. This is a common noun-of-noun composition found across languages and follows transparent English lexical patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand it.
Etymology
The phrase puff of air comes from the simple picture of someone giving a quick, soft blow: a short puff that moves the air and can make a candle flicker or papers flutter. So, it means 'a short, light movement or gust of air'.