See Also: sniff(medicine)
sniff(dictionary)
sniff test(medicine)
sniff 1, verb(dictionary)
sniff 2, noun(dictionary)

sniff (iou)



sniff verb & noun. ME.
[Imit.]
A. verb.
verb intrans. Inhale through the nose with a short or sharp audible inhalation, esp. to clear the nose, detect a smell, or express contempt, disdain, etc. ME.
sniff at (a) try the smell of; show interest in; (b) show contempt for or discontentment with.
P. Roazen He..frequently sniffed to see whether he could breathe properly. R. Pilcher She stopped crying and started sniffing instead. J. Trollope The room smelt of man and dog...Martin sniffed.
b. spec. Inhale cocaine, the fumes of glue, etc., through the nostrils. E20.
verb trans. Inhale, take up, or draw in (air, a smell, cocaine, etc.) through the nostrils. L18.
L. Durrell The encouraging smell of food which we sniff appreciatively.
verb trans. Smell (a thing); fig. perceive as if by smell, smell out, discover, suspect, (a plot etc.). M19.
sniff the wind test the atmosphere, take soundings.
Harper Lee I sniffed it and it smelled all right. M. Holroyd He began to sniff some of the power that his personality could exert. Fortune The dollar may stay down..but that's just when long-term speculators sniff opportunity.
verb trans. Say with a scornful sniff, say disdainfully. M19.
Gay News One gay sniffed: 'It's like a hairdresser's convention in there.'
b. noun.
(The sound of) an act of sniffing; an amount of air, cocaine, etc., inhaled in this act. M18.
J. O'Keeffe Rain over..I'll take a sniff of the open air too. H. Drummond The creature..gives vent to a tremendous sniff, as if he had..caught a severe cold. W. S. Maugham The doctor's wife gave a little sniff of contempt.
b. A smell, a scent; sniffing distance. M19.
Dickens He was brought at length within sniff of the sea. R. H. Morrieson A sniff of dark smoke from the railway station in the air.
c. fig. A hint, an intimation. M20.
A domino game in which the first double played has special significance; the first double played. Orig. US. E20.
sniffable adjective L20.
sniffing verbal noun the action of the verb; an instance of this: L16.
sniffingly adverb with a sniff (esp. of scorn or contempt) L19.
sniffish adjective somewhat sniffy M20.