sniff
pronunciation
How to pronounce sniff in British English:
UK [snɪf]
How to pronounce sniff in American English:
US [snɪf]
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- Noun:
- sensing an odor by inhaling through the nose
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- Verb:
- perceive by inhaling through the nose
- inhale audibly through the nose
Word Origin
- sniff
- sniff: see snuff
- sniff (v.)
- mid-14c., of imitative origin; possibly related to snyvelen (see snivel). As an expression of scorn or contempt from 1729. As a synonym for smell (v.) it dates from 1845. In reference to cocaine from 1925. Related: Sniffed; sniffing.
- sniff (n.)
- 1767, from sniff (v.); the scornful sense is from 1859.
Example
- 1. I sniff the gasoline on my hands .
- 2. He said , " you sniff stumps , I see . "
- 3. He starts from the observation that even those who are otherwise paralysed can sniff .
- 4. And then the sniff , the sigh , the sitting by the window .
- 5. The growth in the chinese economy is real , and I don 't mean to sniff at it . But stocks require more than growth alone to be profitable ; they also need good oversight by bureaucrats and corporate managers alike .