Huffing

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈhʌfɪŋ/

Definitions

1. Breathing in a heavy or labored manner ; showing irritation or sulking due to displeasure ; inhaling chemicals or gases to achieve a high
2. Drawing breath deeply and with effort ; indicating annoyance by a display of displeasure ; purposely breathing in harmful substances for intoxication
3. Respiring with difficulty or forcefully ; manifesting anger or resentment through visible agitation ; using inhalants to experience altered mental states

Etymology: The verb "huff" is an imitative word, meaning its sound was meant to resemble the act it describes: the forceful puffing of breath. That physical sense is the ancestor of all three meanings listed here, and it is the one readers can still hear in the word. The form in front of you is the present participle, "huffing." It is built from "huff" plus the ending "-ing," which descends from an old Germanic suffix that turned verbs into forms describing ongoing action, so "huffing" literally means "puffing" or "blowing hard" in its earliest sense. Once that sense was established, the other meanings grew out of the same breath: a person who puffs and sighs loudly is visibly put out, and someone who draws in fumes deliberately is also drawing in air with purpose and force.

Synonyms: panting, wheezing, gasping

Antonyms: calm, relaxing