Middle English Dictionary Entry
puffen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | puffen v. Also puffe; pl. poffeth; p. puffed & pufte; ppl. i)puffed, poffed, poffet. |
| Etymology | OE pyffan v.; also cp. MDu. puffen v. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Of the wind: to blow; ppl. puffing, whistling; (b) to blow (sth.) down; ~ adoun, blow (sb.) down; ~ awei, blow (sth.) away; ~ oute, extinguish (a fire) by blowing; fig. ~ up, blow (the fire of devotion) to make it burn harder; (c) ~ oute, to inflate (sth.), distend; (d) ~ oute, to be extinguished, be blown out.
Associated quotations
a
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)66/9 : Nowðer ne mei þe wind, þet is, þet word..ne fule þi sawle þah hit puffe up o þe, bute þe seolf hit makie.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Wisd.17.17 : Ouþer puffynge [vr. puffende; WB(2): hissynge; L sibilans] wynd or sweete soun of briddis..maden þem failing for drede.
- c1440 PLAlex.(Thrn)56/3 : Alson als a little blaste of wynde puffes apon þam [spiderwebs] þay breke & falles to grownde.
- c1450(c1380) Chaucer HF (Benson-Robinson)1866 : Eolus..tok his blake trumpe faste And gan to puffen and to blaste.
b
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)138/18 : Ȝef a miracle nere, þe pufte adun þen deouel þe set on hire se feaste, ha hefde iturplet wið him..dun in to helle grunde.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)140/21 : Þe ȝeteward is wittes skile þet ah to..don þe hweate igerner & puffen eauer awei þe deofles chef.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)219/15 : Luue is iesu cristes fur..ant te deouel blaweð forte puffen hit ut.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)5.16 : Piries and plomtrees were puffed [A: put; vrr. poffet; possid, passchet; C: poffed; vr. i-puffed] to þe erthe.
- c1475(c1445) Pecock Donet (Bod 916)6/31 : Y haue made a litil book..forto be abilowe to blowe and puffe vp þe fier of deuocioun in her soule.
c
- c1460(?c1400) Beryn (Nthld 55)2958 : Ther cam a mows lepe forth & ete þe þird boon, That puffid out hir skyn as grete as she myȝt goon.
d
- a1400 Ancr.(Pep 2498)47/30 : Þere is litel loue of charite þat puffeþ out for a litel wynde.
2.
(a) To breathe heavily, pant, gasp; (b) to praise (sth.) excessively.
Associated quotations
a
- c1300 SLeg.Mich.(LdMisc 108)234 : Huy liggez ase an heui stok þat wolde ane Man a-stoffe, þat he ne may him wawie fot ne hond, ne vnneþes ani-þing poffe.
- a1325 SLeg.(Corp-C 145)130/54 : Monye riche men þat habbeþ al hore ese Wanne hi habbeþ to muche iȝete..Hi poffeþ and meneþ hore stomak þat mot nede vuel vare.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)13.87 : He shal haue a penaunce in his paunche and puffe at ech a worde, And þanne shullen his guttis godele, and he shal galpen after.
b
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)290/346 : Me pays not that playng to puf nor to blaw.