SNIFF

sniff, snuff

(noun) sensing an odor by inhaling through the nose

sniff, sniffle

(verb) inhale audibly through the nose; “the sick student was sniffling in the back row”

sniff, whiff

(verb) perceive by inhaling through the nose; “sniff the perfume”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Verb

sniff (third-person singular simple present sniffs, present participle sniffing, simple past and past participle sniffed)

(ambitransitive) To make a short, audible inhalation, through the nose, as when smelling something.

To say something while sniffing, for example in case of illness or unhappiness, or in contempt.

(transitive) To perceive vaguely

To be dismissive or contemptuous of something.

(computing) To intercept and analyse packets of data being transmitted over a network.

(slang, UK) To inhale drugs in powder form (usually cocaine) through the nose.

Noun

sniff (countable and uncountable, plural sniffs)

(countable) An instance of sniffing.

(countable) A quantity of something that is inhaled through the nose

(countable, colloquial) A brief perception, or tiny amount.

(uncountable, slang) Cocaine.

Interjection

sniff!

A short inhalation sound, sometimes associated with crying.

Anagrams

• niffs

Source: Wiktionary


Sniff, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Sniffed or Snift; p. pr. & vb. n. Sniffing.] Etym: [OE. sneven; akin to snivel, snuff; cf. Dan. snive to sniff. See Snuff, v. t.]

Definition: To draw air audibly up the nose; to snuff; -- sometimes done as a gesture of suspicion, offense, or contempt. So ye grow squeamish, gods, and sniff at heaven. M. Arnold.

Sniff, v. t.

1. To draw in with the breath through the nose; as, to sniff the air of the country.

2. To perceive as by sniffing; to snuff, to scent; to smell; as, to sniff danger.

Sniff, n.

Definition: The act of sniffing; perception by sniffing; that which is taken by sniffing; as, a sniff of air.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

22 February 2025

ANALYSIS

(noun) the use of closed-class words instead of inflections: e.g., ‘the father of the bride’ instead of ‘the bride’s father’


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, on 25 September 2016, the Birla Institute of Management Technology (India) in Uttar Pradesh, India, constructed the largest coffee cups pyramid consisting of 23,821 cups. They used paper takeaway coffee cups to build the pyramid.

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