snuff
1 of 6noun (1)
ˈsnəf 
plural snuffs
1
: the charred part of a candlewick
His head instantly dropped, and he ceased breathing as quietly as the snuff of a candle goes out.
Paul Jennings
Paul Jennings2
a
obsolete : umbrage, offense —usually used with take
… took snuff at the ostentation of her crooked consort. Samuel Lucas
Samuel Lucas b
chiefly Scotland : a fit of resentment or indignation : huff
To take a thing in snuff was to take it offensively, and express contempt of the offender by drawing up the nostril … All the Year Round: A Weekly Journal
All the Year Round: A Weekly JournalTaking it to snuff and dudgeon … Maurice Atkins
Maurice Atkinssnuff
2 of 6verb (1)
snuffed; snuffing; snuffs
transitive verb
1
: to crop the snuff of (a candle) by pinching or by the use of snuffers so as to brighten the light
She hastily snuffed her candle—it was burning dim … Francis Warre Cornish
Francis Warre CornishThe man took up the candle, snuffed it with his fingers, and striding up to Ephraim held the light full in his face … Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Mary Elizabeth Braddon2
a
: to extinguish (a flame, a candle, etc.) by or as if by the use of a candlesnuffer
Fire crews were making progress as they continued to patrol the town, snuffing small spot fires and sparking a controlled burn to protect the remaining buildings. The Globe and Mail (Canada)
—often used with out The Globe and Mail (Canada) He lit the cones and immediately snuffed them out. Daniel P. WienerI snuffed out my tallow candle, jumped into my coat and moccasins, and plunged out into the snow. Jean Craighead George(figurative) Four cubic miles of volcanic ash and other debris shot as high as 30 miles into the atmosphere, snuffing out the daylight and covering nearby islands with several feet of ash. Cheryl Simon
Daniel P. WienerI snuffed out my tallow candle, jumped into my coat and moccasins, and plunged out into the snow. Jean Craighead George(figurative) Four cubic miles of volcanic ash and other debris shot as high as 30 miles into the atmosphere, snuffing out the daylight and covering nearby islands with several feet of ash. Cheryl Simon b
: to cause the end of : to put an end to
Three interceptions in the fourth quarter snuffed San Diego's remaining hopes. John Papanek
—usually used with out John Papanek The rebellion might have been easily snuffed out then. Jeffrey Bartholet
Jeffrey Bartholet also : kill, execute
snuffed the bad guys
… was snuffed to cover up an immense scandal. Linda Grant
Linda Grant snuff
3 of 6adjective
: characterized by the sensationalistic depiction of violence
especially : featuring a real rather than a staged murder
snuff movies
snuff
4 of 6verb (2)
snuffed; snuffing; snuffs
transitive verb
1
: to draw forcibly through or into the nostrils
2
: scent, smell
3
: to sniff at in order to examine —used of an animal
intransitive verb
1
: to inhale through the nose noisily and forcibly
also : to sniff or smell inquiringly
2
obsolete : to sniff loudly in or as if in disgust
3
: to take snuff
snuff
5 of 6noun (2)
: the act of snuffing : sniff
snuff
6 of 6noun (3)
1
: a preparation of pulverized tobacco to be inhaled through the nostrils, chewed, or placed against the gums
2
: the amount of snuff taken at one time
Phrases
snuff it British slang
: die
… the man did look absolutely dreadful; dreadful enough that he should almost certainly have snuffed it by now … Matthew Waldram
Matthew Waldram… a fairly detailed itinerary had emerged giving me the opportunity to achieve at least half of the items on the 'before I snuff it' list. Sydney Marcellus Operahouse
Sydney Marcellus Operahouse : of sufficient quality : meeting an applicable standard
Synonyms
Verb (2)
- nose
- scent
- smell
- sniff
- whiff
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English snoffe
Verb (2)
akin to Dutch snuffen to sniff, snuff — more at snivel
Noun (3)
Dutch snuf, short for snuftabak, from snuffen to snuff + tabak tobacco
First Known Use
Noun (1)
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (1)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adjective
1971, in the meaning defined above
Verb (2)
1527, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (2)
1568, in the meaning defined above
Noun (3)
1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing snuff
Kids Definition
snuff 1 of 3
noun
ˈsnəf
: powdered tobacco that is chewed, placed against the gums, or drawn in through the nostrils
snuff
2 of 3verb
snuffed; snuffing
: to draw through or into the nose with force
snuff
3 of 3verb
snuffed; snuffing
1
: to cut or pinch off the burned end of the wick of a candle
2
: to put an end to
Medical Definition
snuff
noun
ˈsnəf
: a preparation of pulverized tobacco to be inhaled through the nostrils, chewed, or placed against the gums
also : a preparation of a powdered drug to be inhaled through the nostrils
snuffing
verb
1
as in sniffing
to become aware of by means of the sense organs in the nose the dog began barking as soon as she snuffed the scent of squirrel Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sniffing
- inhaling
- smelling
- whiffing
- scenting
- breathing
- snorting
- nosing
- snuffling
- respiring
- savouring
- savoring
- drinking (in)
2
as in murdering
to put to death deliberately the proprietor of the boarding house had apparently snuffed almost 50 old men before she was caught Synonyms & Similar Words
- murdering
- assassinating
- slaying
- killing
- executing
- neutralizing
- whacking
- dispatching
- destroying
- getting
- slaughtering
- terminating
- shooting
- liquidating
- offing
- icing
- croaking
- taking out
- rubbing out
- putting away
- knocking off
- bumping off
- doing in
- eradicating
- eliminating
- zapping
- massacring
- exterminating
- smiting
- annihilating
- butchering
- cutting down
- claiming
- blowing away
- shooting down
- felling
- doing away with
- carrying off
- blotting out
- wiping out
- mowing (down)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- raising
- reviving
- restoring
- animating
- resuscitating
- resurrecting