- (transitive) to inhale through the nose
- when intr, often followed by at: (esp of an animal) to examine by sniffing
- an act or the sound of snuffing
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
snuff1 /snʌf/USA pronunciation
v.
n.
snuff2 /snʌf/USA pronunciation n. [countable]
v.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Physiologyto draw in (air) noisily through the nose so as to smell something: [~ + object]to snuff the air.[no object]snuffing and puffing.
- to examine by smelling, as an animal does;
sniff: [no object]The dog stood up alertly and began snuffing.[~ + object]The dog began snuffing the new baby.
n.
- Physiology[countable] an act of snuffing;
a sniff. - [uncountable] a preparation of tobacco, powdered and taken into the nostrils by inhaling.
- Idioms, Informal Terms up to snuff, [uncountable][Informal.]
- up to a certain standard;
satisfactory:Her work is not up to snuff. - British Termsnot easily imposed upon;
shrewd;
sharp.
- up to a certain standard;
snuff2 /snʌf/USA pronunciation n. [countable]
- the burned portion of a candlewick.
v.
- snuff out:
- to extinguish (a flame), as by pressing: [~ + out + object]to snuff out the candles.[~ + object + out]to snuff the candles out.
- to suppress;
crush: [~ + out + object]The dictator snuffed out any opposition.[~ + object + out]to snuff opposition out. - [Slang.]to kill or murder: [~ + out + object]to snuff out any informers in the mob.[~ + object + out]to snuff them out.
snuff1
(snuf ),USA pronunciation v.t.
v.i.
n.
snuff′ing•ly, adv.
snuff2 (snuf ),USA pronunciation n.
v.t.
- Physiologyto draw in through the nose by inhaling.
- Physiologyto perceive by or as by smelling;
sniff. - to examine by smelling, as an animal does.
v.i.
- to draw air into the nostrils by inhaling, as to smell something;
snuffle:After snuffing around, he found the gas leak. - to draw powdered tobacco into the nostrils;
take snuff. - [Obs.]to express disdain, contempt, displeasure, etc., by sniffing (often fol. by at).
n.
- Physiologyan act of snuffing;
an inhalation through the nose;
a sniff. - smell, scent, or odor.
- a preparation of tobacco, either powdered and taken into the nostrils by inhalation or ground and placed between the cheek and gum.
- a pinch of such tobacco.
- up to snuff, [Informal.]
- British Termsnot easily imposed upon;
shrewd;
sharp. - up to a certain standard;
satisfactory:His performance wasn't up to snuff.
- British Termsnot easily imposed upon;
- Dutch snuffen
- 1520–30
snuff2 (snuf ),USA pronunciation n.
- the charred or partly consumed portion of a candlewick.
- a thing of little or no value, esp. if left over.
v.t.
- to cut off or remove the snuff of (candles, tapers, etc.).
- snuff out:
- to extinguish:to snuff out a candle.
- to suppress;
crush:to snuff out opposition. - [Informal.]to kill or murder:Many lives were snuffed out during the epidemic.
- ?
- Middle English snoffe 1350–1400
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
snuff /snʌf/ vb
snuff /snʌf/ n
- finely powdered tobacco for sniffing up the nostrils or less commonly for chewing
- a small amount of this
- up to snuff ⇒ informal
- in good health or in good condition
- chiefly Brit not easily deceived
- (intransitive) to use or inhale snuff
snuff /snʌf/ vb (transitive)
- (often followed by out) to extinguish (a light from a naked flame, esp a candle)
- to cut off the charred part of (the wick of a candle, etc)
- (usually followed by out) informal to suppress; put an end to
- snuff it ⇒ Brit informal to die
- the burned portion of the wick of a candle