sniff /snif/ transitive verb- To draw in with the breath through the nose
- To smell
- To suspect or detect by smell or as if by smell
intransitive verb- To draw in air sharply and audibly through the nose
- To draw up mucus or tears escaping into the nose
- To smell tentatively
- To express disapprobation with reticence by a slight sound in the nose
- To snuffle
- To inhale a dangerous or addictive substance (eg glue or cocaine)
noun- An act or a sound of sniffing
- A smell
- A small quantity inhaled by the nose
- A slight intimation or suspicion (figurative)
ORIGIN: Imit; cf snuff1 sniffˈer noun - A person or thing that sniffs
- A program or tool used to monitor traffic and capture data on a network (computing)
adjective (of a dog, apparatus, etc) trained, designed, etc to seek out or locate (esp illicit or dangerous substances) by smell sniffˈily adverb sniffˈiness noun sniffˈing noun and adjective sniffˈingly adverb sniffˈle intransitive verb To snuffle slightly, to sniff noun- An act of sniffling
- The sound made by sniffling
- (often in pl with the) a slight cold
- (often in pl with the) liquid mucus running out of or blocking the nose
sniffˈler noun - Someone who sniffles
- A slight breeze
sniffˈly adjective Having a slight cold sniffˈy adjective Inclined to be disdainful not to be sniffed at Not to be despised |