whiff

[ wif, hwif ]

/ wɪf, ʰwɪf /

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See synonyms for: whiff / whiffed / whiffing / whiffer on Thesaurus.com

noun

a 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.

verb (used without object)

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.

verb (used with object)

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.

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SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

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Question 1 of 6

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shall

should

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Origin of whiff

First recorded in 1600–10; origin uncertain; perhaps a variant of Middle English noun wef, wef(f)e “bad smell, stench”

OTHER WORDS FROM whiff

whiff·er, noun

Words nearby whiff

which way the wind blows, whicker, whid, whidah, Whidbey Island, whiff, whiffet, whiffle, whiffler, whiffletree, whiffy

Other definitions for whiff (2 of 2)

whiff²

[ wif, hwif ]

/ wɪf, ʰwɪf /

noun

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.

Compare left-eyed flounder.

Origin of whiff

First recorded in 1705–15; origin uncertain

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

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 Post
Suddenly, 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|Nautilus
Some 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|Digiday
We 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|Fortune

I 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.
The Best Columns of 2014|John Avlon, Errol Louis|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
Nobody should waste their time penning letters that any pediatrician with a whiff of insight will ignore.
Kids Don’t Know How Overweight They Really Are|Russell Saunders|July 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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|DAILY BEAST
But 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|DAILY BEAST
Then I caught a whiff of burning wood and in ten minutes I was reconnoitering a tiny glade.
A Virginia Scout|Hugh Pendexter
The 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. Thompson
A whiff of foreign smell and a sound of foreign speech reached the passengers at about the same moment.
The Daughters of Danaus|Mona Caird
At last the fire of the corsair ceased, and a whiff of air carried away the smoke.
Stories of Our Naval Heroes|Various
Then 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)

whiff¹

/ (wɪf) /

noun

a passing odour

a brief gentle gust of air

a single inhalation or exhalation from the mouth or nose

verb

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

Derived forms of whiff

whiffer, noun

Word Origin for whiff

C16: of imitative origin

British Dictionary definitions for whiff (2 of 2)

whiff²

/ (wɪf) /

noun

mainly British a narrow clinker-built skiff having outriggers, for one oarsman

Word Origin for whiff

C19: special use of whiff 1

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

whiff

Origin of whiff

OTHER WORDS FROM whiff

Words nearby whiff

Other definitions for whiff (2 of 2)

Origin of whiff

Words related to whiff

How to use whiff in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for whiff (1 of 2)

Derived forms of whiff

Word Origin for whiff

British Dictionary definitions for whiff (2 of 2)

Word Origin for whiff