2. Anything light and filled with air. Specifically:
(a) A puffball.
(b) a kind of light pastry.
(c) A utensil of the toilet for dusting the skin or hair
with powder.
3. An exaggerated or empty expression of praise, especially
one in a public journal.
{Puff adder}. (Zo["o]l.)
(a) Any South African viper belonging to {Clotho} and
allied genera. They are exceedingly venomous, and have
the power of greatly distending their bodies when
irritated. The common puff adder ({Vipera, or Clotho
arietans}) is the largest species, becoming over four
feet long. The plumed puff adder ({C. cornuta}) has a
plumelike appendage over each eye.
(b) A North American harmless snake ({Heterodon
platyrrhinos}) which has the power of puffing up its
body. Called also {hog-nose snake}, {flathead},
{spreading adder}, and {blowing adder}.
{Puff bird} (Zo["o]l.), any bird of the genus {Bucco}, or
family {Bucconid[ae]}. They are small birds, usually with
dull-colored and loose plumage, and have twelve tail
feathers. See {Barbet}
(b) .