Obs. rare. [Echoic.: cf. PUFF.] intr. To make a short explosive sound with the breath. So Tuff int., an imitation of such a sound.
1553. Respublica, I. iii. 247. Avarice. What saie ye? Inso. Hake. Adul. Tuff. Op. Hem. Ibid., III. iv. 774. Adul. But looke, who cometh yonder, puffing and tuffing?… Avar. … Where have ye lost your breath?
1598. Florio, Sbuffante … panting, breathing, tuffing as a cat, chafing.
a. 1821. Keats, in Critic, 9 Feb. (1895), 104/1. I for a moment whiles was prisoner ta’en And rifled, tuff!
