Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense sniffs, present participle sniffing, past tense, past participle sniffed
1. verb
When you sniff, you breathe in air through your nose hard enough to make a sound, for example when you are trying not to cry, or in order to show disapproval.
She wiped her face and sniffed loudly. [VERB]
Moira looked around and sniffed. 'This place badly needs a decorator.'. [VERB]
Then he sniffed. There was a smell of burning. [VERB]
He sniffed back the tears. [VERB noun with adverb]
Synonyms: breathe in, inhale, snuffle, snuff More Synonyms of sniff
Sniff is also a noun.
At last the sobs ceased, to be replaced by sniffs.
2. verb
If you sniff something or sniff at it, you smell it by sniffing.
Suddenly, he stopped and sniffed the air. [VERB noun]
She sniffed at it suspiciously. [VERB + at]
Synonyms: smell, nose, breathe in, scent More Synonyms of sniff
3. verb
You can use sniff to indicate that someone says something in a way that shows their disapproval or contempt.
'Tourists!' she sniffed. [VERB with quote]
4. verb [usually passive]
If you say that something is not to be sniffed at, you think it is very good or worth having. If someone sniffs at something, they do not think it is good enough, or they express their contempt for it.
The salary was not to be sniffed at either. [beV-ed + at]
Foreign Office sources sniffed at reports that British troops might be sent. [VERB + at]
5. verb
If someone sniffs a substance such as glue, they deliberately breathe in the substance or the gases from it as a drug.
He felt light-headed, as if he'd sniffed glue. [VERB noun]
snifferWord forms: plural snifferscountable noun
...teenage glue sniffers.
6. singular noun
If you get a sniffof something, you learn or guess that it might be happening or might be near.
[informal]
You know what they'll be like if they get a sniff of a murder investigation. [+ of]
Have the Press got a sniff yet?
Then, at the first sniff of danger, he was back at his post. [+ of]
Synonyms: hint, clue, inkling, sign More Synonyms of sniff
7. singular noun [usu aNof, usually with brd-neg]
If you say that someone has not had asniffof something, you mean that they have not had even a small chance of getting it.
[informal]
The club hasn't had a sniff of winning a title for twenty years.
Phrasal verbs:
See sniff around
See sniff out
See sniff round
More Synonyms of sniff
sniff in British English
(snɪf)
verb
1.
to inhale through the nose, usually in short rapid audible inspirations, as for the purpose of identifying a scent, for clearing a congested nasal passage, or for taking a drug or intoxicating fumes
2. (whenintr, often foll by at)
to perceive or attempt to perceive (a smell) by inhaling through the nose
noun
3.
the act or sound of sniffing
4.
a smell perceived by sniffing, esp a faint scent
Derived forms
sniffing (ˈsniffing)
noun, adjective
Word origin
C14: probably related to snivelen to snivel
sniff in American English
(snɪf)
verb intransitive
1.
to draw in air through the nose with enough force to be heard, as in clearing the nose or smelling something
2.
to express disdain, skepticism, etc. by sniffing
verb transitive
3.
to breathe in forcibly through the nose; draw in or inhale nasally
4.
to smell (a substance) by sniffing
5.
to detect, perceive, or get a suspicion of by or as by sniffing
often with out
noun
6.
an act or sound of sniffing
7.
something sniffed
Derived forms
sniffer (ˈsniffer)
noun
Word origin
ME sniffen, akin to Dan snive, of echoic orig.
Examples of 'sniff' in a sentence
sniff
She was soon sniffing around again on my other side.
Jan Fennell FRIENDS FOR LIFE (2003)
Some reports say there are dogs which can sniff out cancers.
The Sun (2009)
The dog was in training to sniff out illegal drugs.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
One sniff of victory and they clamber all over you.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He only needs a sniff of a chance to score.
The Sun (2007)
She perched next to him on the table and sniffed the air.
Kerr, Katharine A Time of War (1993)
The first sniff is almost pure alcohol.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It must be time for the journalists to come sniffing around again.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He can sniff the way the wind is blowing as well as anyone.
The Sun (2015)
Dogs sniff the cobbles urgently for traces of meat.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Dogs were also sent in to sniff out illicit drugs.
The Sun (2011)
Once we did put on that pressure we could sniff out the victory.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
So having a good sniff at first meeting may be important.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
There has been the odd instance of an apparently rogue character sniffing around a football club only to back out.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Before his goal, he had not had a sniff of a chance.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Before we notice anything else, our noses sniff out potential compatibility.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He was sitting on a log; he sniffed the air and kept glancing uneasily round the wood.
Beatrix Potter The Tales of Beatrix Potter (1930)
A test saw participants given neutral scents to sniff while looking at photos of people.
The Sun (2015)
In other languages
sniff
British English: sniff /snɪf/ VERB
When you sniff, you suddenly and quickly breathe in air through your nose.
She dried her eyes and sniffed.
American English: sniff
Arabic: يَشْتِمُّ
Brazilian Portuguese: fungar
Chinese: 嗅
Croatian: šmrcati
Czech: popotáhnout nosem
Danish: snøfte
Dutch: snuiven
European Spanish: olfatear insistentemente
Finnish: niiskuttaa
French: renifler
German: schnuppern
Greek: ρουθουνίζω
Italian: annusare
Japanese: 鼻で吸う
Korean: 코를 킁킁거리다
Norwegian: snuse
Polish: powąchać
European Portuguese: fungar
Romanian: a inspira rapid
Russian: вдыхать через нос
Latin American Spanish: olfatear
Swedish: lukta
Thai: สูดจมูกฟุดฟิต
Turkish: burnunu çekmek
Ukrainian: вдихати
Vietnamese: hít
All related terms of 'sniff'
sniff at
to express contempt or dislike for
sniff out
If you sniff out something, you discover it after some searching .
sniff round
sniff around
If a person is sniffing around , they are trying to find out information about something, especially information that someone else does not want known.
scratch and sniff
denoting a product that releases a smell when scratched
scratch 'n' sniff
denoting a product that releases a smell when scratched
Chinese translation of 'sniff'
sniff
(snɪf)
n(c)
(from cold, crying) 抽鼻子 (chōu bízi)
(disapproving) 嗤之以鼻 (chīzhīyǐbí)
vi
抽鼻子 (chōu bízi)
vt
[perfume, air]嗅 (xiù)
[glue]吸入 (xīrù)
to take a sniff of sth (= smell) 闻(聞)一下某物 (wén yīxià mǒuwù)
1 (verb)
Definition
to inhale through the nose in short audible breaths
She wiped her face and sniffed loudly.
Synonyms
breathe in
inhale
snuffle
snuff
2 (verb)
Definition
to smell by sniffing
Suddenly, he stopped and sniffed the air.
Synonyms
smell
We could smell the gas.
nose
breathe in
scent
dogs which scent the hidden birds
get a whiff of
catch the scent of
detect the smell of
3 (verb)
He'd been sniffing glue.
Synonyms
inhale
He was treated for the effects of inhaling smoke.
breathe in
She breathed in deeply.
suck in
draw in
1 (noun)
Definition
the act or sound of sniffing
At last the sobs ceased, to be replaced by sniffs.
Synonyms
snuffle
intake of breath
quick inhalation
2 (noun)
Have the Press got a sniff of this story yet?
Synonyms
hint
I'd dropped a hint about having an exhibition of his work.
clue
Scientists have discovered a clue that may unlock the puzzle.
a vital clue to the killer's identity
inkling
We had an inkling that something might be happening.
sign
His face and movements rarely betrayed any sign of nerves.
wind
suggestion
There is absolutely no suggestion of any mainstream political party involvement.
whiff
He caught a whiff of her perfume.
intimation
I did not have any intimation that he was going to resign.
idiom
See not to be sniffed at
Phrasal verbs
See sniff around
See sniff something out
Additional synonyms
in the sense of clue
Definition
something that helps to solve a problem or unravel a mystery
Scientists have discovered a clue that may unlock the puzzle.a vital clue to the killer's identity
Synonyms
indication,
lead,
sign,
evidence,
tip,
suggestion,
trace,
hint,
suspicion,
pointer,
tip-off,
inkling,
intimation
in the sense of inkling
Definition
a vague idea or suspicion
We had an inkling that something might be happening.
Synonyms
suspicion,
idea,
hint,
suggestion,
notion,
indication,
whisper,
clue,
conception,
glimmering,
intimation,
faintest or foggiest idea
in the sense of intimation
I did not have any intimation that he was going to resign.
Synonyms
hint,
warning,
suggestion,
indication,
allusion,
inkling,
insinuation
Synonyms of 'sniff'
sniff
Explore 'sniff' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of scent
Definition
to become aware of by smelling
dogs which scent the hidden birds
Synonyms
smell,
sense,
recognize,
detect,
sniff,
discern,
sniff out,
nose out,
get wind of (informal),
be on the track or trail of
in the sense of sign
Definition
a visible indication
His face and movements rarely betrayed any sign of nerves.
Synonyms
indication,
evidence,
trace,
mark,
note,
signal,
suggestion,
symptom,
hint,
proof,
gesture,
clue,
token,
manifestation,
giveaway,
vestige,
spoor
in the sense of suggestion
Definition
a hint or indication
There is absolutely no suggestion of any mainstream political party involvement.