to snuff

Examples

• All

• "when the farm dog snuffs at it."

  We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

• Curious about the new scent, the cat snuffs at the ground before exploring further.

• Here, snuff this up.

  The Fox and the Hound 2 (2006)

• Anna noisily snuffs a big breath up through her tiny nostrils.

  Fiction book (1992)

• The dog eagerly snuffs around the garden, searching for hidden treats.

• As the detective entered the room, he snuffed at the air to catch a hint of the recent activity.

Synonyms

S

to sniff

vsto snuff

266 1.0

To breathe in through the nose to smell something or because of a cold

is specifically about curious smelling rather than emotional or illness breathing

S

to sniff out

vsto snuff

• Informal

15 4.0

Find something by searching, often by smell

is about simple inquisitive smelling rather than finding hidden things

G

to get a whiff

vsto snuff

11 4.7

Smell something briefly, often a strong scent

means actively smelling out of curiosity rather than just noticing a brief scent

S

to scent

vsto snuff

5 3.5

To use the sense of smell to find something, often by animals

is human curious smelling rather than purposeful tracking or animal detection

S

to smell out

vsto snuff

2 5.1

Find something hidden by noticing small signs

is a straightforward curious smell, not an act of discovery or detection

S

to snuffle

vsto snuff

1 7.5

To breathe through the nose to smell and find things

is quieter and focuses on curious smelling rather than noisy breathing

W

to whiff

vsto snuff

1 3.5

To smell something quickly through the nose

involves a longer intentional smell driven by curiosity rather than a brief sniff

S

to scent out

vsto snuff

5.6

To find something by smell or by careful searching

focuses on curious smelling rather than active discovery or tracking

Phrasal Verbs

S

to snuff out

9 7.7

Put an end to something or to someone's life

S

to snuff out

6 4.7

Stop a flame, candle, or small fire from burning

S

to snuff it

• Slang

2 9.9

To stop living and not come back

Compounds

S

snuff-color

• Archaic

9.9

A dark yellow-brown color like powdered tobacco

S

snuff user

• Archaic

9.6

A person who regularly inhales powdered tobacco through the nose

S

snuff-and-butter

• Archaic

9.9

Ordinary talk that is simple and not deep

How Curious

to snuff

• Archaic

3 7.9

to smell

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology