pub|lish|er ◆◇◇ /pʌ bl I ʃə r / (publishers ) N‑COUNT A publisher is a person or a company that publishes books, newspapers, or magazines. □ The publishers planned to produce the journal on a weekly basis.
pub|lish|ing ◆◇◇ /pʌ bl I ʃ I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT Publishing is the profession of publishing books. □ I had a very high-powered job in publishing.
pu b|lish|ing house (publishing houses ) N‑COUNT A publishing house is a company which publishes books.
puce /pjuː s/ COLOUR Something that is puce is a dark purple colour.
puck /pʌ k/ (pucks ) N‑COUNT In the game of ice hockey, the puck is the small rubber disc that is used instead of a ball.
puck|er /pʌ kə r / (puckers , puckering , puckered ) VERB When a part of your face puckers or when you pucker it, it becomes tight or stretched, often because you are trying not to cry or are going to kiss someone. □ [V ] Toby's face puckered. □ [V n] She puckered her lips into a rosebud and kissed him on the nose. ● puck|ered ADJ □ …puckered lips. □ …a long puckered scar.
puck|ish /pʌ k I ʃ/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] If you describe someone as puckish , you mean that they play tricks on people or tease them. [OLD-FASHIONED , WRITTEN ] □ He had a puckish sense of humour.
pud /pʊ d/ (puds ) N‑VAR Pud is the same as pudding . [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ …rice pud.
pud|ding /pʊ d I ŋ/ (puddings )
1 N‑VAR A pudding is a cooked sweet food made with flour, fat, and eggs, and usually served hot. □ …a cherry sponge pudding with warm custard.
2 N‑VAR Some people refer to the sweet course of a meal as the pudding . [BRIT ] □ …a menu featuring canapes, a starter, a main course and a pudding.
3 → see also Yorkshire pudding
4 PHRASE If you say the proof of the pudding or the proof of the pudding is in the eating , you mean that something new can only be judged to be good or bad after it has been tried or used.
pu d|ding ba|sin (pudding basins ) N‑COUNT A pudding basin is a deep round bowl that is used in the kitchen, especially for mixing or for cooking puddings. [BRIT ]
pud|dle /pʌ d ə l/ (puddles ) N‑COUNT A puddle is a small, shallow pool of liquid that has spread on the ground. □ The road was shiny with puddles, but the rain was at an end. □ [+ of ] …puddles of oil.
pudgy /pʌ dʒi/ ADJ If you describe someone as pudgy , you mean that they are rather fat in an unattractive way. [AM ] □ He put a pudgy arm around Harry's shoulder.
pu|er|ile /pjʊə ra I l, [AM ] -r ə l/ ADJ If you describe someone or something as puerile , you mean that they are silly and childish. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ Concert organisers branded the group's actions as puerile. □ …puerile, schoolboy humour.
puff /pʌ f/ (puffs , puffing , puffed )
1 VERB If someone puffs at a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, they smoke it. □ [V + at/on ] He lit a cigar and puffed at it twice. [Also V n, V ] ● N‑COUNT Puff is also a noun. □ She was taking quick puffs at her cigarette.
2 VERB If you puff smoke or moisture from your mouth or if it puffs from your mouth, you breathe it out. □ [V n] Richard puffed smoke towards the ceiling. □ [V prep] The weather was dry and cold; wisps of steam puffed from their lips. ● PHRASAL VERB Puff out means the same as puff . □ [V P n] He puffed out a cloud of smoke. [Also V n P ]
3 VERB If an engine, chimney, or boiler puffs smoke or steam, clouds of smoke or steam come out of it. □ [V n] As I completed my 26th lap the Porsche puffed blue smoke.
4 N‑COUNT A puff of something such as air or smoke is a small amount of it that is blown out from somewhere. □ [+ of ] Wind caught the sudden puff of dust and blew it inland.
5 VERB [usu cont] If you are puffing , you are breathing loudly and quickly with your mouth open because you are out of breath after a lot of physical effort. □ [V ] I know nothing about boxing, but I could see he was unfit, because he was puffing.
6 → see also puffed
▸ puff out
1 PHRASAL VERB If you puff out your cheeks, you make them larger and rounder by filling them with air. □ [V P n] He puffed out his fat cheeks and let out a lungful of steamy breath. [Also V n P ]
2 → see also puff 2
▸ puff up
1 PHRASAL VERB If part of your body puffs up as a result of an injury or illness, it becomes swollen. □ [V P ] Her body bloated and puffed up till pain seemed to burst out through her skin.
2 → see also puffed up
puff|ball /pʌ fbɔːl/ (puffballs ) also puff-ball N‑COUNT A puffball is a round fungus which bursts when it is ripe and sends a cloud of seeds into the air.
puffed /pʌ ft/
1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If a part of your body is puffed or puffed up , it is swollen because of an injury or because you are unwell. □ His face was a little puffed.
2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you are puffed or puffed out , you are breathing with difficulty because you have been using a lot of energy. [INFORMAL ] □ Do you get puffed out running up and down the stairs?