I. ˈsnəf noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English snoffe
1. : the charred part of a candlewick
2. obsolete : the leavings of a cup or glass of liquor
3.
a. obsolete : umbrage , pique , offense — usually used with take
b. chiefly Scotland : a fit of resentment or indignation : huff
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English snoffen, from snoffe, n.
transitive verb
1.
a. : to crop the snuff of (a candle) by pinching or by the use of snuffers so as to brighten the light
b. : to extinguish by or as if by the use of snuffers : make extinct : put an end to : kill — usually used with out
just in case automation snuffs out their jobs — A.H.Raskin
2. obsolete : cleanse , purify
intransitive verb
1. : to become extinguished — usually used with out
the lighted wick gutters, snuffs out — Ernest Beaglehole
2. slang : die
I'll love 'er till I snuff it — C.J.Dennis
— often used with out
what a place to snuff out in — Elizabeth Bowen
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: akin to Dutch snoffen, snuffen to sniff, snuff, Middle Dutch snuven to sniff, snuff, snof head cold — more at snivel
transitive verb
1. : to draw in forcibly through the nostrils : sniff audibly
snuff up a solution of salt and water
snuff the fragrance of the clover
among the irises and roses … snuffing in … the delicious scent — Virginia Woolf
2. : to perceive or detect by smelling : scent , smell
3. : to sniff at in order to examine — used of an animal
intransitive verb
1. : to inhale through the nose noisily and forcibly : sniff or smell inquiringly
2. archaic : to sniff loudly in or as if in disgust
the enemies of the church rage and snuff — Joseph Hall
3. : to chew or inhale snuff : take snuff
smoked and snuffed almost to the hour of her death — Irish Digest
IV. noun
( -s )
: the act of snuffing : sniff , inhalation
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Dutch snuf (short for snuftabak, from snuffen to sniff + tabak tobacco) & snuif, short for snuiftabak, from snuiven to sniff (from Middle Dutch snuven ) + tabak
1.
a. : a preparation of pulverized tobacco to be chewed, placed against the gums, or inhaled through the nostrils
b. : the amount of snuff taken at one time : pinch
2. : scent , smell , aroma , odor
3. or snuff brown : mummy brown 2b
•
- up to snuff
VI. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: origin unknown
: to lightly buff (the grain side of leather) so as to remove grain imperfections
VII. ˈsnəf adjective
Etymology: snuff (II) (kill)
: characterized by the sensationalistic depiction of violence and especially violent death
snuff television
a snuff book
especially : featuring a real rather than a staged murder
snuff movies