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snuff
1[ snuhf ]
verb (used with object)
- to draw in through the nose by inhaling.
- to perceive by or as by smelling; sniff.
- to examine by smelling, as an animal does.
verb (used without object)
- to draw air into the nostrils by inhaling, as to smell something; snuffle:
After snuffing around, he found the gas leak.
- to draw powdered tobacco into the nostrils; take snuff.
- Obsolete. to express disdain, contempt, displeasure, etc., by sniffing (often followed by at ).
noun
- an act of snuffing; an inhalation through the nose; a sniff.
- smell, scent, or odor.
- a preparation of tobacco, either powdered and taken into the nostrils by inhalation or ground and placed between the cheek and gum.
- a pinch of such tobacco.
snuff
2[ snuhf ]
noun
- the charred or partly consumed portion of a candlewick.
- a thing of little or no value, especially if left over.
verb (used with object)
- to cut off or remove the snuff of (candles, tapers, etc.).
verb phrase
- to extinguish:
to snuff out a candle.
- Informal. to kill, murder, or bring to a sudden end:
Many lives were snuffed out during the epidemic.
snuff
1/ snʌf /
verb
- tr to inhale through the nose
- whenintr, often foll by at (esp of an animal) to examine by sniffing
noun
- an act or the sound of snuffing
snuff
2/ snʌf /
noun
- finely powdered tobacco for sniffing up the nostrils or less commonly for chewing
- a small amount of this
- any powdered substance, esp one for sniffing up the nostrils
- up to snuff informal.
- in good health or in good condition
- not easily deceived
verb
- intr to use or inhale snuff
snuff
3/ snʌf /
verb
- often foll by out to extinguish (a light from a naked flame, esp a candle)
- to cut off the charred part of (the wick of a candle, etc)
- informal.usually foll by out to suppress; put an end to
- snuff it informal.to die
noun
- the burned portion of the wick of a candle
Derived Forms
- ˈsnuffer, noun
Other Words From
- snuffing·ly adverb
Word History and Origins
Origin of snuff1
Origin of snuff2
Word History and Origins
Origin of snuff1
Origin of snuff2
Origin of snuff3
Idioms and Phrases
- up to snuff, Informal.
- up to a certain standard; satisfactory:
His performance wasn't up to snuff.
More idioms and phrases containing snuff
In addition to the idiom beginning with snuff , also see up to par (snuff) .Example Sentences
He could imagine himself an Islamist avenger like that masked monster in black who appears in the ISIS snuff videos.
He packed a large pinch of the snuff against his bottom gum.
Even as Valle sat in court this week, the 364 various groups on DFN included one called Cannibalism, Snuff with 835 members.
Look in my face while I snuff the sidle of evening, Talk honestly, for no one else hears you, and I stay only a minute longer.
Pelosi and Reid will work to snuff out any legislation that could force Obama to take unpopular stands.
Here are pretty goings on—a pinch of your snuff, Perker, my boy—never were such times, eh?
Joe,” said Mr. Wardle, after an unsuccessful search in all his pockets, “is my snuff-box on the sofa?
Some of the tribes inhabiting the district of the lower Amazon indulge in snuff-taking.
Portuguese snuff seemed to be in favor and was delicately perfumed.
Some varieties of snuff were named after the scents employed in flavoring them.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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