I. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
around
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She won't want the police sniffing around .
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The Tribune itself sniffed around for the great Communist conspiracy it suspected of backing the protesters.
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The sergeant would go sniffing around so that he showed he knew what you were doing.
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Miguel sniffed around for the scent of smoke, but no deal.
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I went and sniffed around the edges of the frosted glass back door: a good, clean, slightly sweet smell.
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It came and sniffed around the edges, and gradually came all the way out.
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I wanted to sniff around a little, and I always do that better on my own, without distractions.
out
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At a fairly young age I learnt to sniff out danger and step into choppy conversations to skilfully avert disaster.
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Some take off their masks to sniff out strange odors.
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What olfactory sense is logic endowed with that it sniffs out and runs to ground the hidden nature of things?
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Some machines sniff out plastic explosives.
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A failed marriage is one of those unconsidered trifles he might expect to sniff out .
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I became an expert at sniffing out potential humiliation.
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Pseudonym detection squads would sniff out fraudsters, like the satellites which monitor Sicilian olive groves.
■ NOUN
air
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Then he sniffed the air , took his brother's arm, and allowed himself to be led away.
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I said, sniffing the food intently, sniffing the air like an alert rodent.
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Neville drew the brass bolts and flung the door open to sniff the morning air .
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He got out of the car with a groan and rubbed his back, then sniffed the air .
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She sniffed the air and ignored him.
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It is the portrait of a caged animal sniffing the air in search of a scent of meaning in life.
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She stalked, stiff-legged like a wolf, into the darkling garden and like a wolf she sniffed the air .
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He closed the door behind him, sniffing the air with distaste.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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"I'm sorry I got so upset,'' she sniffed.
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"It looks overcooked," she sniffed.
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Otto looked around quickly to make sure no one was looking and then sniffed his armpits.
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She sniffed a few times and stopped crying.
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Stop sniffing! Use your handkerchief.
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The dog raised its nose in the air, sniffed, and then started to follow the scent.
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The dog was rushing around excitedly, sniffing at the ground.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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For a moment he sniffed at the roots.
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He sniffed his hand again, then shook his head.
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I could hear him sniff as he went before me.
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It sniffed at the ground and stood, dejected, motionless.
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Some youngsters who sniff have accidents while they are intoxicated and some suffer damage to their health.
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The number of youngsters sniffing varies from place to place and at different times.
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Varney sniffed, wiped his nose with his hand and backed his other foot into the water.
II. noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ VERB
get
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Somehow Beador had got a sniff of it.
take
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Ed leaned forwards and took a sniff .
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She took a sniff of those leather seats, and that was it, she was in there, feeling them up.
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So they call out the local Jesuit priest, he takes a good sniff and says it's haunted.
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She took a deep sniff of it.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
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His mother gave a sniff and asked if he had been smoking in his bedroom.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
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A sniff of tea, a whiff of biscuits, and there would soon be a crowd.
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A dab with a handkerchief and an early morning sniff was my subterfuge.
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Ed leaned forwards and took a sniff .
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Filmer could go in and out of the Westin without a sniff of fresh air, and probably had.
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She took a sniff of those leather seats, and that was it, she was in there, feeling them up.
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She turned back to her companions with a sniff .
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Stamford have given me a list of local McCloys and there again not a sniff as far as they know.