fluff

Everyday

1. Fluff is small soft bits of wool, dust, hair or feathers, like the bits in your pocket or under the bed. tree →
2. Fluff is the soft fur or feathers of a young animal, like a chick or a kitten. tree →
3. To fluff something (up) means to shake or pat it so it becomes softer and fuller, like a pillow. tree →
4. To fluff something means to do it badly or make a mistake, like fluffing your lines in a play. tree →
5. Fluff can mean talk or writing with little real meaning. tree →
6. A fluff is a quick, puffing shake of a bird's feathers. tree →

In the lessons

Everyday: tumble dryers collect fluff in a filter, which must be cleaned because fluff can catch fire; fluff collects under beds. In science, baby birds have fluffy down to keep warm. In writing lessons, teachers may say «cut the fluff» — remove words that add nothing. Phrases: «fluff up the pillows», «pocket fluff», «a bit of fluff», «fluffed it».

Examples

• There's fluff all over your jumper. tree →
• Clean the fluff out of the dryer filter. tree →
• The chick was covered in yellow fluff. tree →
• Fluff up your pillow before you go to sleep. tree →
• I fluffed my line in the school play. tree →
• We found lots of fluff under the sofa. tree →
• The cat's fluff was everywhere. tree →
• His report was mostly fluff and not many facts. tree →
• I really can't be expected to do two things at once.' And with a fluff of her feathers she pushed the egg into the middle of the nest. tree →

Note

Uncountable: «some fluff», «a bit of fluff». Adjective: «fluffy» (soft and light, like a fluffy cloud or fluffy towel). Dryer fluff (lint) is a fire risk.