whiffer


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms, Encyclopedia.

whiff

 (wĭf, hwĭf)
n.
1.
a. A brief, passing odor carried in the air: a whiff of perfume.
b. A very small trace: a whiff of self-pity in her remarks.
2. An inhalation, as of air or smoke: Take a whiff of this pipe.
3. A slight, gentle gust of air; a waft: A whiff of cool air blew into the room.
4. Baseball A strikeout.
v. whiffed, whiff·ing, whiffs
v.intr.
1. To be carried in brief gusts; waft: puffs of smoke whiffing from the chimney.
2. Sports To swing at and miss a ball or puck.
3. Baseball To strike out. Used of a batter.
v.tr.
1. To inhale through the nose; sniff: a dog whiffing the air.
2. Baseball To strike out (a batter).

[Perhaps alteration of Middle English weffe, offensive smell.]

whiff′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.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.whiffer - a batter who strikes out by swinging at and missing the third strike
batsman, batter, hitter, slugger - (baseball) a ballplayer who is batting
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
References in classic literature ?
Whiffers (everybody looked at the individual in orange), our friend Mr.
Whiffers to state them himself, for the improvement and imitation of his admiring friends.'
Whiffers then added that he feared a portion of this outrage might be traced to his own forbearing and accommodating disposition.