Engine huffed and puffed, releasing steam.

Meaning: The steam engine was working hard and making a lot of noise as it let out steam.

Choice of Words: Huffed and puffed are words that describe the sound of a steam engine working hard. Releasing means letting go or allowing something to escape.

Alternative Expressions

The engine was struggling to work, blowing out lots of steam.

Meaning: This sentence describes an engine that's having trouble working and is releasing a lot of steam, which is a sign that it's not working properly.

Choice of Words: Struggling means to have difficulty doing something. Blowing out lots of steam means that the engine is releasing a lot of hot, wet air.

The engine roared and sent clouds of steam into the air.

Meaning: This sentence describes an engine that's making a lot of noise and releasing a lot of steam, which is a sign that it's working very hard.

Choice of Words: Roared means to make a loud, deep sound. Sent clouds of steam into the air means that the engine released a lot of hot, wet air into the sky.

Related Expressions