puffback noun2 •The (unintended) emission of soot or smoke from a furnace or boiler into a structure, typically caused by a burner failing to ignite properly, allowing a buildup of fumes which explode and expel soot or smoke into the structure.Broken or malfunctioning electrodes can result in smoke leaking out into the rooms of the structure. This problem, called a puffback, is not an uncommon one in oil-fired appliances (see sidebar). — 2004 •Any bird of the genus Dryoscopus. formspuffbacks
