v.tr.
1. distend (a balloon etc.) with air.
2 (usu. foll. by with; usu. in passive) puff up (a person with pride etc.).
3 a (often absol.) bring about inflation (of the currency). b raise (prices) artificially.
4 (as inflated adj.) (esp. of language, sentiments, etc.) bombastic.
Derivatives:
inflatedly adv. inflatedness n. inflater n. inflator n.
Etymology: L inflare inflat- (as IN-(2), flare blow)