sniff

sniff
I. verb Etymology: Middle English Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. to draw air audibly up the nose especially for smelling <
sniffed at the flowers
>
2. to show or express disdain or scorn 3. snoop, nose <
sniffed around for clues
>
transitive verb 1. to smell or take by inhalation through the nose 2. to utter contemptuously 3. to recognize or detect by or as if by smelling <
sniff out trouble
>
II. noun Date: 1767 1. an act or sound of sniffing 2. a quantity that is sniffed

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • sniff — sniff …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • Sniff — ( Sniff , Nipsu ) is a character in the Moomin series of books by Finnish author Tove Jansson. Moomintroll s immature friend and later adopted brother. He is the son of the Muddler and the Fuzzy. He is one of the few characters in the Moomin… …   Wikipedia

  • sniff´i|ly — sniff|y «SNIHF ee», adjective, sniff|i|er, sniff|i|est. Informal. 1. inclined to sniff, especially in contempt, scorn, etc. 2. contemptuous; …   Useful english dictionary

  • sniff|y — «SNIHF ee», adjective, sniff|i|er, sniff|i|est. Informal. 1. inclined to sniff, especially in contempt, scorn, etc. 2. contemptuous; …   Useful english dictionary

  • Sniff — Sniff, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Sniffed}or {Snift}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sniffing}.] [OE. sneven; akin to snivel, snuff; cf. Dan. snive to sniff. See {Snuff}, v. t.] To draw air audibly up the nose; to snuff; sometimes done as a gesture of suspicion,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sniff — Sniff, v. t. 1. To draw in with the breath through the nose; as, to sniff the air of the country. [1913 Webster] 2. To perceive as by sniffing; to snuff, to scent; to smell; as, to sniff danger. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sniff — ► VERB 1) draw in air audibly through the nose. 2) (sniff at) show contempt or dislike for: the price is not to be sniffed at. 3) (sniff around/round) informal investigate something secretly. 4) (sniff out) informal discover by secret or hidden… …   English terms dictionary

  • Sniff — Sniff, n. The act of sniffing; perception by sniffing; that which is taken by sniffing; as, a sniff of air. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Sniff — der; s, s <aus gleichbed. engl. sniff, eigtl. »das Schnüffeln«, zu to sniff, vgl. ↑sniffen> (Jargon) das Sniffen …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • sniff — fonosimb. ES ingl. {{wmetafile0}} spec. nel linguaggio dei fumetti, voce che riproduce il rumore di chi annusa intensamente o respira con forza; anche s.m.inv. {{line}} {{/line}} DATA: 1937. ETIMO: der. di (to) sniff annusare, fiutare , di orig.… …   Dizionario italiano

  • sniff — (v.) mid 14c., of imitative origin; possibly related to snyvelen (see SNIVEL (Cf. snivel)). As a synonym for smell (v.) it dates from 1845. In reference to cocaine from 1925. Related: Sniffed; sniffing. The noun is first recorded 1767; the… …   Etymology dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”