puffing Billy
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
A steam locomotive engine.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
The temple, halfway up the Matheran hills, was approached by a 'puffing billy' train on a zigzag railway from Neral, two miles from Bombay.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “puffing Billy” mean?
A steam locomotive engine.
Is “puffing Billy” formal or informal?
puffing Billy is generally slang.