sniff
(redirected from sniffs)Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia.
sniff
(snĭf)v. sniffed, sniff·ing, sniffs
v.intr.
1.
a. To inhale a short, audible breath through the nose, as in smelling something.
b. To sniffle.
2. To use the sense of smell, as in savoring or investigating: sniffed at the jar to see what it held.
3. To regard something in a contemptuous or dismissive manner: The critics sniffed at the adaptation of the novel to film.
4. Informal To pry; snoop: The reporters came sniffing around for more details.
v.tr.
1. To inhale forcibly through the nose: sniffed the cool morning air.
2. To smell, as in savoring or investigating: sniffed the lilacs; sniffed the breeze for traces of smoke.
3. To perceive or detect by or as if by sniffing: dogs that sniffed out the trail through the snow; sniffed trouble ahead.
4. To utter in a contemptuous or haughty manner: The countess sniffed her disapproval.
n.
1. An instance or the sound of sniffing.
2. Something sniffed or perceived by or as if by sniffing; a whiff: a sniff of perfume; a sniff of scandal.
[Middle English sniffen, probably of Scandinavian origin.]
sniff′a·ble adj.
sniff′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
sniff
(snɪf)vb
1. (Physiology) to inhale through the nose, usually in short rapid audible inspirations, as for the purpose of identifying a scent, for clearing a congested nasal passage, or for taking a drug or intoxicating fumes
2. (when: intr, often foll by at) to perceive or attempt to perceive (a smell) by inhaling through the nose
n
3. (Physiology) the act or sound of sniffing
4. a smell perceived by sniffing, esp a faint scent
[C14: probably related to snivelen to snivel]
ˈsniffing n, adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
sniff
(snɪf)v.i.
1. to draw air through the nose in short, audible inhalations.
2. to clear the nose by so doing; sniffle.
3. to smell by short inhalations.
4. to show disdain, contempt, etc., by or as if by sniffing.
v.t. 5. to inhale through the nose.
6. to smell by sniffing.
7. to perceive by or as if by sniffing: to sniff a scandal.
n. 8. an act of sniffing.
9. the sound made by such an act.
10. a barely perceptible scent or odor.
[1300–50; Middle English]
sniff′er, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
sniff
Past participle: sniffed
Gerund: sniffing
| Imperative |
|---|
| sniff |
| sniff |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  sniff - sensing an odor by inhaling through the nose |
| Verb | 1. | sniff - perceive by inhaling through the nose; "sniff the perfume" smell - inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense |
| 2. | sniff - inhale audibly through the nose; "the sick student was sniffling in the back row" breathe in, inhale, inspire - draw in (air); "Inhale deeply"; "inhale the fresh mountain air"; "The patient has trouble inspiring"; "The lung cancer patient cannot inspire air very well" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
sniff
verb
1. breathe in, inhale, snuffle, snuff She wiped her face and sniffed loudly.
2. smell, nose, breathe in, scent, get a whiff of, catch the scent of, detect the smell of Suddenly, he stopped and sniffed the air.
3. inhale, breathe in, suck in, draw in He'd been sniffing glue.
noun
1. snuffle, intake of breath, quick inhalation At last the sobs ceased, to be replaced by sniffs.
2. hint, clue, inkling, sign, wind, suggestion, whiff, intimation Have the Press got a sniff of this story yet?
not to be sniffed at considerable, great, large, substantial, reasonable, tidy, lavish, plentiful, tolerable, appreciable, sizable or sizeable The salary was not to be sniffed at either.
sniff around nose around, hunt around, see what you can find, search for clues Pop down there and just sniff around.
sniff something out
2. discover, find, reveal, spot, expose, recognize, disclose, scent, uncover, track down, unmask a police dog trained to sniff out explosives
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
sniff
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
نَشْق، تَشَمُّميَتَشَمَّميَشْتِمُّيَنْشُق
čenicháníčichatočichatpopotáhnout nosempopotahovat
snøftesnusesnusen
niiskuttaanuuhkaistanuuhkausnyrpistellä
šmrcati
szippantszippantásfanyalogfintorogszimatol
sjúga upp í nefiîsnus; nefsogsnusa
鼻で吸う
코를 킁킁거리다
apuostymasapuostytišnirpštiuostinėjimas
apošņātošņātostīšanašņaukāšanašņaukāt
čuchaniečuchaťsmrkať
povohatismrkanje
lukta
สูดจมูกฟุดฟิต
burnunu çekmekburnunu çekerek koklamaburnunu çekerek koklamak
hít
sniff
[snɪf]A. N
1. (= act) → sorbo m (por la nariz); (by dog) → husmeo m
one sniff of that would kill you → una inhalación de eso te mataría
to go out for a sniff of air → salir a tomar el fresco
we never got a sniff of the vodka → no llegamos siquiera a oler el vodka
one sniff of that would kill you → una inhalación de eso te mataría
to go out for a sniff of air → salir a tomar el fresco
we never got a sniff of the vodka → no llegamos siquiera a oler el vodka
2. (= faint smell) → olorcito m
B. VT [+ snuff etc] → sorber (por la nariz), aspirar; [+ smell] → oler; [dog etc] → olfatear, husmear
just sniff these flowers → huele un poco estas flores
the dog sniffed my hand → el perro me olfateó or me husmeó la mano
you can sniff the sea air here → aquí se huele ese aire de mar
sniff the gas deeply → aspire profundamente el gas
to sniff glue → esnifar or inhalar pegamento
just sniff these flowers → huele un poco estas flores
the dog sniffed my hand → el perro me olfateó or me husmeó la mano
you can sniff the sea air here → aquí se huele ese aire de mar
sniff the gas deeply → aspire profundamente el gas
to sniff glue → esnifar or inhalar pegamento
C. VI [person] → aspirar por la nariz, sorber, sorberse la nariz; [dog etc] → oler, husmear, olfatear
stop sniffing! → ¡deja de sorberte la nariz!
to sniff at sth (lit) → oler algo (fig) → despreciar algo, desdeñar algo
an offer not to be sniffed at → una oferta que no es de despreciar or desdeñar
the dog sniffed at my shoes → el perro olió mis zapatos
stop sniffing! → ¡deja de sorberte la nariz!
to sniff at sth (lit) → oler algo (fig) → despreciar algo, desdeñar algo
an offer not to be sniffed at → una oferta que no es de despreciar or desdeñar
the dog sniffed at my shoes → el perro olió mis zapatos
sniff out VT + ADV (= discover) → encontrar husmeando; (= pry) → fisgar, fisgonear (fig) (= dig out) → desenterrar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
sniff
n → Schniefen nt no pl (inf); (disdainful) → Naserümpfen nt no pl; (of dog) → Schnüffeln nt no pl; we never even got a sniff of the money → wir haben das Geld noch nicht mal von Weitem zu sehen bekommen; have a sniff at this → riech mal hieran; at the first sniff of danger, he backed out → sobald er Gefahr witterte, zog er sich zurück
vt (= test by smelling) → riechen, schnuppern an (+dat) (inf); air → riechen, schnuppern; smelling salts → einziehen; glue → einatmen, schnüffeln (inf); drugs → sniffen (sl); snuff → schnupfen; (fig: = detect) → wittern, riechen; the dogs sniffed each other → die Hunde beschnupperten sich; sniff these flowers → riech mal an den Blumen
vi (person) → schniefen (inf); (dog) → schnüffeln, schnuppern; to sniff at something (lit) → an etw (dat) → schnuppern; (fig) → die Nase über etw (acc) → rümpfen; not to be sniffed at → nicht zu verachten
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
sniff
[snɪf]1. n (sound) → annusata, fiutata
to have a sniff of sth → annusare qc
one sniff of this is enough to kill you → una annusata a questo e muori di sicuro
he gave a sniff of contempt → ha arricciato il naso con disprezzo
to have a sniff of sth → annusare qc
one sniff of this is enough to kill you → una annusata a questo e muori di sicuro
he gave a sniff of contempt → ha arricciato il naso con disprezzo
3. vi (person) → tirare su col naso; (in contempt) → arricciare il naso
sniff out vt + adv → fiutare (fig) → fiutare, subodorare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
sniff
(snif) verb1. to draw in air through the nose with a slight noise.
2. to do this in an attempt to smell something. The dog sniffed me all over; He sniffed suddenly, wondering if he could smell smoke.
noun an act of sniffing.
sniff out to discover or detect (by using the sense of smell). The police used dogs to sniff out the explosives.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
sniff
→ يَشْتِمُّ popotáhnout nosem snøfte schnuppern ρουθουνίζω olfatear niiskuttaa renifler šmrcati annusare 鼻で吸う 코를 킁킁거리다 snuiven snuse powąchać fungar вдыхать через нос lukta สูดจมูกฟุดฟิต burnunu çekmek hít 嗅Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
sniff
v. olfatear, oler; absorber por la nariz; resoplar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
sniff
vt (glue, etc.) inhalar, esnifar (Ang) (pegamento, etc.); vi aspirar por la narizEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.