sniffn.
/snɪf/, U.S. /snɪf/The phrase in a sniff ‘in a moment’ occurs slightly earlier in dial.: see the Eng. Dial. Dict.
1. in extended use.1860 M. Reid Hunters' Feast (new ed.) vi It was a sort of prolonged hiss, that all except Ike believed to be the snort of the black bear. Ike..declared that it was..the ‘sniff’, as he termed it, of the ‘painter’ (cougar).
a. An act of sniffing; a single inhalation through the nose in order to smell something, usually accompanied by a characteristic short snuffling sound; the sound made in doing this.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > smell and odour > [noun] > exercising sense of smell
snevingc1200
odoration?a1425
snokingc1440
smelling1509
smellc1560
vent1575
venting1611
sniff1767
snuff1822
olfaction1833
the world > life > the body > respiratory organs > breathing > inhalation > [noun] > through nose
snoachinga1387
sniftingc1430
snivellingc1430
snuffing1540
sniffing1575
snuffling1580
snufflea1764
sniff1767
snuff1822
sniftera1835
sniffling1836
snivel1847
sniffle1880
1767 Warton Oxford Newsman's Verses 34 Oh, cou'd I but have had one single sup, One single sniff at Charlotte's caudle-cup!
1791 J. O'Keeffe Wild Oats ii. i. 24 Rain over—quite fair,—I'll take a sniff of the open air too.
1833 T. Hook Parson's Daughter II. i. 29 Then he made a sort of a sniff with his nose, because he could smell the dinner.
1870 H. Spencer Princ. Psychol. (ed. 2) I. i. vi. 109 When the sniffs have been continued for some time, scarcely any scent can be perceived.
1883 F. M. Crawford Dr. Claudius i [He] was taking his evening sniff of the Neckar breeze.
b. A smell or scent.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > smell and odour > [noun]
smacka1000
breathOE
smella1175
irea1300
weffea1300
thefa1325
relesec1330
odour?c1335
incensea1340
flair1340
savoura1350
smellingc1386
flavourc1400
fumec1400
reflairc1400
air?a1439
scent?1473
taste?c1475
verdure1520
senteur1601
waft1611
effluvium1656
fluor1671
burning scent1681
aura1732
fumet1735
snuff1763
olfacient1822
odouret1825
waff1827
gush1841
sniff1844
tang1858
nose1894
1844 T. Hood Turtles 34 All whiffs, and sniffs, and puffs and snuffs,..That, as we walk upon the river's ridge, Assault the nose.
c. Sniffing distance.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > distance > [noun] > limit of distance or reach > of sniffing
sniff1878
1878 R. L. Stevenson Inland Voy. 216 We were within sniff of Paris, it seemed.
d. figurative. A hint, intimation.
ΘΚΠ
society > communication > information > hint or covert suggestion > [noun]
feelc1485
inkling1529
intimation1531
insinuation1532
by-warning1542
byword1542
item1561
cue1565
air1567
vent1613
insusurration1614
hinta1616
injection1622
indication1626
infusion1641
side glance1693
ground bass1699
touch1706
side view1747
sidewipe1757
allusion1766
penumbra1770
breath1795
slyness1823
by-hint1853
light1854
shove1857
suggestion1863
sous-entendu1865
point1870
sidewiper1870
sniff1936
1936 C. Day Lewis Friendly Tree ii. ix. 124 I have been..wondering if I shall ever get a job... I have just got a sniff of one—experimental work.
2. An act of sniffing in order to express or show contempt, disdain, incredulity, or similar feeling.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > [noun] > action of expressing contempt > sniff of contempt
snuff1570
sniff1837
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. iii. iii. 161 Lameth,..is met..by nothing but Royalist brocards; sniffs, huffs, and open insults.
1841 C. Dickens Barnaby Rudge xli. 176 Miss Miggs gave a great sniff to the same effect.
1884 Manch. Examiner 19 Dec. 5/2 A look and a sniff which express as clearly as articulate words a homely rejoinder [etc.].
1891 ‘J. S. Winter’ Lumley xii. 87 ‘She is downstairs, and I think she's come to stop,’ with a sniff of disgust.
3. An act (or habit) of clearing the nose by a short inhalation.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > excretion of mucus > [noun] > action of cleaning nose
snuffling1580
sniffling1836
sniff1860
sniffle1880
nose-picking1916
1860 All Year Round 29 Sept. 588 An elderly woman labouring under a chronic sniff.
1883 H. Drummond in G. A. Smith Life H. Drummond (1899) viii. 188 The creature..gives vent to a tremendous sniff, as if he had just caught a severe cold in the head.
4. U.S. A contemptible or insignificant person.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > importance > unimportance > [noun] > one who is unimportant > paltry, mean, or contemptible
turdc1400
shrub1566
skybala1572
peltera1577
whipstart1581
smatchetc1582
squib1586
paltripolitan1588
scrub1589
Jack-a-Lent1596
snotty-nose1604
whipstera1616
whimling1616
whiffler1659
insignificancy1661
insect1684
insignificant1710
pic1839
squirt1844
whiffmagig1871
sniff1890
picayune1903
1890 A. C. Gunter Miss Nobody xii Her mother..cries out, astounded: ‘Going to marry that little sniff?’
5. U.S. A domino game in which the first double played has special significance; the first double played.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > table game > dominoes > [noun] > forms of game
rounce1845
tiddlywink1857
matador1865
all fives1868
muggins1868
Malakoff1870
all fours1872
sniff1917
1917 J. Hergesheimer Three Black Pennys iii. xxiv. 289 After dinner, when they were playing sniff.
1930 J. H. Appel Business Biogr. J. Wanamaker xxii. 336 His own favourite game was ‘sniff’, played with dominoes.
1961 D. C. Armanino Pop. Domino Games 37 A singles may be played off the end of singles, the sides of doubles, and the ends of Sniff. Sniff is the only double on which plays can be made on the ends.
1974 F. Berndt Domino Bk. 33 Sniff is yet another variation of Muggins.
1974 F. Berndt Domino Bk. 33 The first double played is called the Sniff.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
sniffv.
/snɪf/, U.S. /snɪf/ 1.
a. intransitive. To draw air through the nose with short or sharp audible inhalations; to clear the nose in this way, esp. when under the influence of emotion.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > organs of excretion > excretion of mucus > excrete mucus [verb (intransitive)] > from nose
snivelc1325
sniffc1340
snotter1781
the world > life > the body > respiratory organs > breathing > inhalation > inhale [verb (intransitive)] > through nose
sniffc1340
snifterc1340
snavelc1480
snuff1530
snuffle1611
snufter1632
whiff1635
snot1662
snift1703
snotter1710
snuff1714
sniffle1819
snoach1844
c1340 Nominale (Skeat) 88 Man snyffyth and snyuelith.
c1460 (?c1400) Tale of Beryn Prol. l. 39 She snyffith, sighith, and shooke hire hede, and made rouful chere.
c1460 J. Russell Bk. Nurture 284 Pike not youre nose.., Snyff nor snitynge hyt to lowd lest youre souerayne hit here.
1575 G. Turberville Bk. Faulconrie 231 It shall be good..to skowre the head alone, and purge it with some deuise, to force hir snyte and snuffe, as men do accustome to sneze.
1575 G. Turberville Bk. Faulconrie 292 To discerne this disease of the head, the Hawke will sniffe often.
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby iv. 25 The little boy..beyond alternately sniffing and choking, gave no further vent to his emotions.
1885 Manch. Examiner 9 May 6/2 The ladies were all weeping wildly,..dozens of men were sniffing suspiciously.
b. spec. To inhale cocaine, the fumes of glue, etc., through the nose. slang.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > take drugs [verb (intransitive)] > sniff drugs or glue
sniff1925
glue-sniff1971
1925 Flynn's 4 Apr. 819/2 Sniff,..to use powdered cocaine as snuff.
1931 E. Wallace On Spot ii. 24 Red, you're..a hop-head... We got no room in this outfit for guys who sniff.
1967 C. Drummond Death at Furlong Post v. 62 So they send us a dipso who sniffs!
1970 New Scientist 13 Aug. 352/1 These young people generally ‘sniffed’ from a plastic bag into which they first squirted aeroplane glue, cleaning fluid or whatever.
1975 Weekend Mag. (Montreal) 8 Feb. 21 The Whitebear sisters began sniffing almost two years ago, Janice says. ‘A friend of ours used to sniff. At first, we didn't know what he was doing, so we asked and then we tried it too.’
1977 J. van de Wetering Death of Hawker vii. 73 He's sniffing too... Cocaine powder.
2. figurative.1865 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend II. iii. xiv. 124 If he came sneaking and sniffing about the property.1973 A. Mann Tiara ix. 76 I want to..sniff around the Vatican again.1977 ‘R. Player’ Month of Mangled Models vii. 133 Sniffing around Chelsea and Kelmscott.
a. To sniff in smelling; to smell with a sniff or sniffs. Said esp. of animals.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > smell and odour > [verb (intransitive)] > exercise sense of smell
smellc1200
smella1300
snokec1380
smell1526
snuff1530
snuffle1601
whiff1635
sniff1788
nose1794
nuzzle1806
snuft1820
snuzzle1861
1788 W. Cowper Death Mrs. Throckmorton's Bulfinch 40 He [sc. a cat]..something in the wind Conjectur'd, sniffing round and round.
1848 C. Dickens Dombey & Son lv. 553 Some dogs..that sniffed upon the road.
1874 C. Keene Let. in G. S. Layard Life & Lett. C. S. Keene (1892) vii. 160 [A] little animal, always sniffing about for mice.
1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VII. 341 The patient in smelling sniffed with one nostril only.
b. Const. at.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > smell and odour > [verb (transitive)] > exercise the sense of smell
snevec1200
snokec1380
savoura1382
thevea1400
whiff1635
nesea1637
scent1638
venta1640
taste1656
snift1736
sniff1792
olfact1805
to run up1815
smell1831
sniffa1845
snuff1858
smellsip1922
1792 F. Burney Let. 27 June in Jrnls. & Lett. (1972) I. 208 She..snifted at her Flowers with a sort of extatic eagerness.
1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple II. xiii. 218 After sniffing at it two or three times, I knew it to be otto of roses.
1865 E. B. Tylor Res. Early Hist. Mankind iii. 45 The Fijians, who used to salute by smelling or sniffing at one another.
1883 O. Schreiner Story Afr. Farm i. i A curious old ewe came to sniff at him.
3. To show or express contempt, disdain, disparagement, incredulity, or similar feeling, by sniffing:
a. Const. at a person or thing.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > hold in contempt [verb (transitive)] > express contempt of > by sniffing
snuff1544
sniff1729
1729 J. Swift Grand Question So then you look'd scornful, and snift at the Dean.
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. I. vi. iv. 324 Camille Desmoulins, and others, sniffing at him for it.
1864 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia IV. xvi. x. 418 Our Shopkeepers of the Rue St. Honoré would sniff at such a lodging.
1888 Times 6 July 9/3 Superior persons..will doubtless sniff at the expression of opinion upon these topics by the House of Lords.
b. Without const.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > think or behave contemptuously [verb (intransitive)] > express contempt by sniffing
snuff1544
snuffle1583
sniff1837
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. I. vi. ii. 307 Dusky d'Espréménil does nothing but sniff and ejaculate.
1871 A. D. Whitney Real Folks xvii She did not sniff; she was a great deal too much a lady.
1881 W. Besant & J. Rice Chaplain of Fleet I. iv. 91 Mrs. Gambitt sniffed disdainfully.
4.
a. transitive. To take up, draw in, (air, etc.) by inhaling through the nostrils.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > respiratory organs > breathing > inhalation > inhale [verb (transitive)] > through nose
snuvec1200
snuff1527
snuff1547
to breathe in1576
snuffle1599
whiff1635
snivel1668
sniff1796
1796 F. Burney Camilla I. ii. ii. 147 Seeing he was sniffing up the eau suave, without looking at her.
1822 J. M. Good Study Med. II. 693 Cold water may be sniffed up the nostrils.
1828 Countess Granville Let. 29 July (1894) II. 29 I sniffed up country air, and felt better and better every mile.
1873 Agnes Matheson in Mem. Minister's Wife (1881) vii. 98 I can sit and sniff in the sea-breezes.
b. Without adverb.
ΚΠ
1843 C. Scudamore Med. Visit Gräfenberg 75 Head~bath twice a day; and to sniff water freely several times in the day.
1856 E. K. Kane Arctic Explor. II. xiii. 138 Dr. Hayes..came aft and crawled upon deck to sniff the day~light.
1860 R. B. Brough Marston Lynch x. 81 [He] could sniff the sea breeze through the counting-house window.
c. figurative or in figurative context.
ΚΠ
1864 Duke of Manchester Court & Society I. vii. 106 Sniffing a far-off scent of battle with the restless craving of the war~horse.
1881 W. Besant & J. Rice Chaplain of Fleet II. x. 186 His turn-up nose seemed so joyfully to sniff the incense of praise.
5.
a. To smell (a thing).
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > smell and odour > [verb (transitive)] > exercise the sense of smell
snevec1200
snokec1380
savoura1382
thevea1400
whiff1635
nesea1637
scent1638
venta1640
taste1656
snift1736
sniff1792
olfact1805
to run up1815
smell1831
sniffa1845
snuff1858
smellsip1922
a1845 T. Hood Town & Country v For meadow-buds I get a whiff of Cheshire cheese,—or only sniff The turtle made at Cuff's.
1871 B. Taylor tr. J. W. von Goethe Faust II. i. iii. 34 The platter-licker, He sniffs the roasting.
b. figurative. To perceive as if by smell; to smell or smell out (a plot, etc.); to suspect. Also with out.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > discovery > find out, discover [verb (transitive)] > by perception or observation
seeOE
wita1300
descrivec1300
descrya1450
spyc1515
to see into ——1565
scerne1590
guard1636
discreevec1650
spot1848
embrace1852
sniff1864
the world > action or operation > endeavour > searching or seeking > finding or discovery > find or discover [verb (transitive)] > detect > (as) by smelling
smellc1380
smell?1548
scent?1553
outsmella1563
nosea1637
to get (also take, pick up) the scent1723
snuff1790
besmell1803
sniff1864
snuffle1871
1864 C. Knight Passages Working Life I. iii. 175 Lord Sidmouth, as was his wont, had sniffed a plot from afar.
1873 C. M. Davies Unorthodox London (1876) 43 It is not only Rome that sniffs heresy in independent thought or action.
1899 C. Scott Drama of Yesterday & To-day I. xvi. 538 I sniffed more prey.
1946 Sun (Baltimore) 12 Aug. 1/2 A pilotless aircraft that is sent into the air to ‘sniff out’ its own enemy target.
1979 J. Barnett Backfire is Hostile! xi. 111 You should concentrate more on sniffing out the sex fiends than speculating on spies.
c. to sniff the wind: see wind n.1 17c.
6. To regard (something) with contempt or scorn; to sneer at.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > hold in contempt [verb (transitive)]
forhowc900
overhowOE
withhuheOE
forhecchec1230
scorna1275
despise1297
spise13..
to set at a pease, at a pie's heel, at a pin's fee1303
to hold, have scorn at, ofc1320
to think scorn ofc1320
to set short by1377
to tell short of1377
to set naught or nought (nothing, not anything) by1390
spitea1400
contemnc1425
nought1440
overlooka1450
mainprizec1450
lightly1451
vilipendc1470
indeign1483
misprize1483
dain?1518
to look down on (also upon)1539
floccipend1548
contempta1555
to take scorn ata1566
embase1577
sdeign1590
disesteem1594
vilify1599
to set lightly, coldly1604
disrepute1611
to hold cheapa1616
avile1616
floccify1623
meprize1633
to think (also believe, etc.) meanly of1642
publican1648
naucify1653
disesteem1659
invalue1673
to set light, at light1718
sneeze1806
sniff1837
derry1896
to hold no brief for1918
1837 T. Carlyle French Revol. II. v. viii. 334 Thus some, with upturned nose, will altogether sniff and disdain Sansculottism.
7. To utter with a (scornful) sniff; to express by means of a sniff.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > speech > manner of speaking > say in a particular manner [verb (transitive)] > with a sneer, laugh, etc.
laugheOE
simper1567
sneer1693
titter1787
chuckle out1820
snigger1857
sniff1859
smile1860
smirk1879
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > hold in contempt [verb (transitive)] > express contempt of > by sniffing > utter with
sniff1859
1859 G. Meredith Ordeal Richard Feverel III. v. 151 ‘Are you cold?’ she would ask, smiling charitably. ‘I am.’..‘You always appear to be,’ the bosom sniffed and snapped.
1865 A. Smith Summer in Skye i. 24 Fastidious Edinburgh sniffs disdain.
1870 C. E. L. Riddell Austin Friars iv ‘Of course you would forgive anything from her,’ sniffed Melinda.
Draft additions 1993
d. Originally U.S. slang. To inhale (a powdered narcotic substance or the narcotic fumes of glue and similar substances).
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > use of drugs and poison > take drugs [verb (transitive)] > inhale drugs
sniff1934
snort1935
snarf1973
toot1975
1934 C. de Lenoir 100th Man i. 13 Sniffing heroin or cocaine is ‘sleigh-riding’.
1951 N.Y. Times 13 June 24/3 Then one day we met another fellow and he offered us some heroin. I sniffed this too. We called it ‘horse’ and ‘H’.
1965 Malcolm X Autobiogr. vii. 110 As the pros did, I too would key myself to pull these jobs by my first use of hard dope. I began with..sniffing cocaine.
1970 New Scientist 12 Nov. 314/1 Young people who turn on by sniffing the vapour of airplane glue..sometimes..drop dead.
1974 M. C. Gerald Pharmacol. xv. 291 Cocaine is usually administered intravenously, although some prefer to ‘sniff’ or ‘snort’ it.
1986 P. Barker Century's Daughter i. 7 Some of the houses were used by drunks, others by teenage gangs sniffing glue.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1767
v.c1340