chuff

Thân thiện

The old steam locomotive chuffed up the steep hillside.

Definition

Verb: - To emit a short, sharp, explosive puff of air or steam, often producing a characteristic sound. This typically describes the sound made by an engine, especially a steam locomotive, or a person breathing heavily with exertion.

Usage

The verb "chuff" is used to describe the action of producing such a sound. It is often used intransitively (without a direct object). - The old steam train began to chuff as it pulled away from the station. - After running up the stairs, he stood there, chuffing from the effort.

Advanced Usage

• Onomatopoeic Use: "Chuff" is an onomatopoeic word, meaning it phonetically imitates the sound it describes. This makes it particularly vivid in descriptive writing.
  • The only sound in the quiet valley was the distant tractor chuffing in the field.

Variants and Related Words

• Chuffing (present participle/gerund/adjective): The act of making this sound, or (in British informal slang) used as a mild intensifier.
  • The chuffing of the engine was rhythmic. (verb form)
  • It was a chuffing difficult puzzle. (British slang, adjective)

Synonyms

• Puff: To emit short bursts of air, smoke, or steam.
• Huff: To breathe heavily, especially from exertion; to blow air.
• Chug: To move while making a series of short, dull, explosive sounds, like an engine.

Related Phrases/Idioms

• To huff and puff: To breathe loudly and heavily, especially from strenuous activity. While "chuff" can describe a single sound, this idiom describes sustained, labored breathing often accompanied by audible exhalations.
  • He was huffing and puffing by the time he reached the summit.

Học thuật

Verb

1. blow hard and loudly
   • he huffed and puffed as he made his way up the mountain

Từ đồng nghĩa

• puff
• huff