snuffle

American  

[snuhf-uhl] / ˈsnʌf əl /

verb (used without object)

snuffled, snuffling

1. to draw air into the nose for the purpose of smelling something; snuff.

2. to draw the breath or mucus through the nostrils in an audible or noisy manner; sniffle.

3. to speak through the nose or with a nasal twang.

4. to whine; snivel.

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verb (used with object)

snuffled, snuffling

1. to utter in a nasal tone.

noun

1. an act or sound of breathing loudly through the nose.

2. (the) snuffles, a condition of the nose, such as from a cold, causing a person to breath or draw mucus through the nostrils noisily.

3. a nasal tone of voice.

snuffle British  

/ ˈsnʌfəl /

verb

1. (intr) to breathe noisily or with difficulty

2. to say or speak in a nasal tone

3. (intr) to snivel

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noun

1. an act or the sound of snuffling

2. a nasal tone or voice

3. a condition characterized by snuffling

Other Word Forms

• snuffler noun
• snufflingly adverb
• snuffly adjective

Etymology

Origin of snuffle

First recorded in 1575–85, for an earlier sense; 1595–1605, for the current sense; from Dutch snuffelen “to nose (in something),” literally, “to sniff repeatedly,” from snuffen “to sniff,” with -el-, frequentative infix; equivalent to snuff ¹ ( def. ) + -le

Example Sentences

She came out to meet me from her woodshed, wandering slowly towards me, snuffling at the snow with her trunk as she came.

From Literature

Behind him, he felt Wolf snuffling at his wrists again.

From Literature

Hedgehogs may be communicating with more than just snuffles, grunts and snorts, according to scientists who have discovered the animal's hearing range.

From BBC

He could hear the beasts now in their field nearby, rumbling and snuffling to one another as the sun began to dip behind the Mountain.

From Literature

After a few minutes, the dragon lifted its head and made a tiny snuffling noise.

From Literature

Related Words

• bark
• growl
• grunt
• mumble
• mutter