snuff

[ snuhf ]

/ snʌf /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR snuff ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

RELATED WORDS

extinguish, detect

Nearby words

Idioms

up to snuff, Informal.

British.not easily imposed upon; shrewd; sharp.
up to a certain standard; satisfactory: His performance wasn't up to snuff.

Origin of snuff

First recorded in 1520–30, snuff is from the Dutch word snuffen

Related formssnuff·ing·ly, adverb

snuff

[ snuhf ]

/ snʌf /

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 Phrases

snuff out,

to extinguish: to snuff out a candle.
to suppress; crush: to snuff out opposition.
Informal.to kill or murder: Many lives were snuffed out during the epidemic.

Origin of snuff

1350–1400; Middle English snoffe < ?

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for snuff

He packed a large pinch of the snuff against his bottom gum.
Short Stories from The Daily Beast: Four Hundred Grand|Elliot Ackerman|July 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even as Valle sat in court this week, the 364 various groups on DFN included one called Cannibalism, Snuff with 835 members.
Cannibal Cop’s Dark Fetishes Detailed in Grisly Trial Testimony|Michael Daly|February 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
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.
A Eulogy for Marie Colvin|Katrina Heron|March 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Pelosi and Reid will work to snuff out any legislation that could force Obama to take unpopular stands.
Freshmen Hit the Hill|Samuel P. Jacobs|January 4, 2011|DAILY BEAST

John Avlon has the inside details on a new plan to snuff the radicals.
Defusing the Terrorists' Prison Bomb|John Avlon|November 9, 2010|DAILY BEAST
The Seigneur took a pinch of snuff, and the Cure, whose mind was benevolent, listened with the gravest interest.
The Right of Way, Complete|Gilbert Parker
With these words he clapped his scarlet cap on his head, and vanished like the snuff of a candle.
Toto's Merry Winter|Laura E. Richards
Slinkton took out a snuff-box, took a pinch of snuff, and laughed.
Hunted Down|Charles Dickens
The suitor of the daughter of this wealthy Englishman was appropriately dubbed "Up to Snuff."
As I Remember|Marian Gouverneur
"Hard upon the hounds," observes Mr. Wotherspoon, replenishing his nose with a good charge of snuff.
Ask Momma|R. S. Surtees

British Dictionary definitions for snuff

snuff

/ (snʌf) /

verb

(tr) to inhale through the nose

(when intr, often foll by at) (esp of an animal) to examine by sniffing

noun

an act or the sound of snuffing

Derived Formssnuffer, noun

Word Origin for snuff

C16: probably from Middle Dutch snuffen to snuffle, ultimately of imitative origin

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
mainly Britishnot easily deceived

verb

(intr) to use or inhale snuff

Word Origin for snuff

C17: from Dutch snuf, shortened from snuftabale, literally: tobacco for snuffing; see snuff 1

verb (tr)

(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)

(usually foll by out) informal to suppress; put an end to

snuff it British informal to die

noun

the burned portion of the wick of a candle

Word Origin for snuff

C14 snoffe, of obscure origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for snuff

snuff

v.1

"to cut or pinch off the burned part of a candle wick," mid-15c., from noun snoffe "burned part of a candle wick" (late 14c.), of unknown origin, perhaps related to snuff (v.2). The meaning "to die" is from 1865; that of "to kill" is from 1932; snuff-film, originally an urban legend, is from 1975.

snuff

v.2

"draw in through the nose," 1520s, from Dutch or Flemish snuffen "to sniff, snuff," related to Dutch snuiven "to sniff," from Proto-Germanic *snuf- (cf. Middle High German snupfe, German Schnupfen "head-cold"), imitative of the sound of drawing air through the nose (see snout). Related: Snuffed; snuffing.

"powdered tobacco to be inhaled," 1680s, from Dutch or Flemish snuf, shortened form of snuftabak "snuff tobacco," from snuffen "to sniff, snuff" (see snuff (v.2)). The practice became fashionable in England c.1680. Slang phrase up to snuff "knowing, sharp, wide-awake, not likely to be deceived" is from 1811; the exact sense is obscure unless it refers to the "elevating" properties of snuff.

Medicine definitions for snuff

snuff

[ snŭf ]

v.

To inhale something audibly through the nose; sniff.

n.

A preparation of finely pulverized tobacco that can be drawn up into the nostrils by inhaling.

A medicated powder inhaled through or blown into the nose.

Idioms and Phrases with snuff

snuff

In addition to the idiom beginning with snuff

snuff out

also see:

up to par (snuff)

snuff

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of snuff

snuff

noun

verb (used with object)

Verb Phrases

Origin of snuff

Examples from the Web for snuff

snuff

verb

noun

Word Origin for snuff

noun

verb

Word Origin for snuff

verb (tr)

noun

Word Origin for snuff

snuff

snuff

snuff

v.

n.

snuff