whiff
1a slight gust or puff of wind, air, vapor, smoke, or the like: a whiff of fresh air.
a slight trace of odor or smell: a whiff of onions.
a single inhalation or exhalation of air, tobacco smoke, or the like.
a trace or hint: a whiff of scandal.
a slight outburst: a little whiff of temper.
to blow or come in whiffs or puffs, as wind or smoke.
to inhale or exhale whiffs, as in smoking tobacco.
Baseball Slang. (of a batter) to strike out by swinging at and missing the pitch charged as the third strike.
to blow or drive with a whiff or puff, as the wind does.
to inhale or exhale (air, tobacco smoke, etc.) in whiffs.
to smoke (a pipe, cigar, etc.).
Baseball Slang. (of a pitcher) to cause (a batter) to whiff.
Origin of whiff
1Other words from whiff
- whiff·er, noun
Words Nearby whiff
Other definitions for whiff (2 of 2)
any of several flatfishes having both eyes on the left side of the head, of the genus Citharichthys, as C. cornutus(horned whiff ), inhabiting Atlantic waters from New England to Brazil.
Origin of whiff
2- Compare left-eyed flounder.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use whiff in a sentence
Off it, Snyder continues to recirculate his bad air and give the organization an unsavory whiff.
Today in D.C.: Headlines to start your Wednesday in D.C., Maryland and Virginia | Dana Hedgpeth, Teddy Amenabar | December 10, 2020 | Washington PostSuddenly, it hits you—a texture of reality carried by a strong whiff of … horse manure.
What Did the Past Smell Like? - Issue 93: Forerunners | Ann-Sophie Barwich | December 9, 2020 | NautilusSome Great Big Story employees caught that whiff of trouble later in 2019 as WarnerMedia began to move employees from Time Warner Center to its new home at Hudson Yards.
‘Two very, very different companies’: Why CNN’s Great Big Story failed to survive | Tim Peterson | November 2, 2020 | DigidayWe got a whiff of investor enthusiasm last week as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq both rallied to their highest weekly gains in three months.
Why earnings season could be the next big lift for stocks | Bernhard Warner | October 12, 2020 | FortuneI appreciate the simple things I took for granted – each breath, whiff of fresh air, the sun and trees.
The Anatomy Of A Breast Cancer Survivor: ‘Early Detection Saved My Life’ | Charli Penn | October 6, 2020 | Essence.com
There were stories of distant strife, in Bosnia, Rwanda, and Northern Ireland, and those stories had the whiff of a different era.
Griswold was undeniably an incursion on democratic powers with a definite whiff of activism.
The Right Wing Screams for the Wambulance Over Gay Marriage Ruling | Walter Olson | October 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTNobody should waste their time penning letters that any pediatrician with a whiff of insight will ignore.
I stepped off the plane, caught that first groggy whiff of jet fuel and my body instantly registered where I was.
How I’ll End the War: My First Week Back in Afghanistan | Nick Willard | May 1, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut alongside all the true-fandom, a whiff of regret lingers.
Why The Tea Party Won’t Go Away And More Wisdom From Matt Kibbe | Michael Signer | April 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThen I caught a whiff of burning wood and in ten minutes I was reconnoitering a tiny glade.
A Virginia Scout | Hugh PendexterThe next instant he caught a whiff of smoke and saw it rising in a dense cloud through the trees.
Gold-Seeking on the Dalton Trail | Arthur R. ThompsonA whiff of foreign smell and a sound of foreign speech reached the passengers at about the same moment.
The Daughters of Danaus | Mona CairdAt last the fire of the corsair ceased, and a whiff of air carried away the smoke.
Stories of Our Naval Heroes | VariousThen when he caught a faint whiff of the game, he would stop short, and look around, and wag his tail.
Blazed Trail Stories | Stewart Edward White
British Dictionary definitions for whiff (1 of 2)
/ (wɪf) /
a passing odour
a brief gentle gust of air
a single inhalation or exhalation from the mouth or nose
to come, convey, or go in whiffs; puff or waft
to take in or breathe out (tobacco smoke, air, etc)
(tr) to sniff or smell
(intr) British slang to have an unpleasant smell; stink
Origin of whiff
1Derived forms of whiff
- whiffer, noun
British Dictionary definitions for whiff (2 of 2)
/ (wɪf) /
mainly British a narrow clinker-built skiff having outriggers, for one oarsman
Origin of whiff
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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