[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/huff/)

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# huff

verb (huff, huffs, huffed, huffing); noun (a huff)

«huff» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To breathe out loudly and heavily, often because you are tired or annoyed. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/huff/#m1)
2. (noun, informal) A bad mood, usually after being offended: «in a huff». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/huff/#m2)
3. (informal) «Huff and puff»: to breathe hard, or to complain and make a fuss without doing much. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/huff/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories «he left in a huff» tells the reader a character went off sulking. In «The Three Little Pigs» the wolf says «I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down». Phrases: in a huff, go off in a huff, huff and puff.

### Examples

- She went off in a huff because she lost the game. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/huff/#x1)
- The wolf huffed and puffed and blew the house down. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/huff/#x2)
- He was huffing and puffing by the top of the hill. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/huff/#x3)
- Don't get in a huff; it was only a joke. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/huff/#x4)
- Grandpa huffed and turned back to his newspaper. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/huff/#x5)
- My little sister is in a huff because she can't stay up late. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/huff/#x6)
- So he huffed, and he puffed, and he blew his house in, and ate up the little pig. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/huff/#x7)

### Note

Adjective: huffy (easily offended or sulky). «In a huff» is informal. Similar: sulk, strop (UK).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «huff» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/H/huff/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«huff» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/huff.html) on Mova free.