whiff 1
— whiffer , n.
/hwif, wif/ , n.
1. a slight gust or puff of wind, air, vapor, smoke, or the like: a whiff of fresh air.
2. a slight trace of odor or smell: a whiff of onions.
3. a single inhalation or exhalation of air, tobacco smoke, or the like.
4. a trace or hint: a whiff of scandal.
5. a slight outburst: a little whiff of temper.
v.i.
6. to blow or come in whiffs or puffs, as wind or smoke.
7. to inhale or exhale whiffs, as in smoking tobacco.
8. Baseball Slang. (of a batter) to strike out by swinging at and missing the pitch charged as the third strike.
v.t.
9. to blow or drive with a whiff or puff, as the wind does.
10. to inhale or exhale (air, tobacco smoke, etc.) in whiffs.
11. to smoke (a pipe, cigar, etc.).
12. Baseball Slang. (of a pitcher) to cause (a batter) to whiff.
[ 1585-95; aspirated var. of ME weffe whiff (of steam or vapor) ]
whiff 2
/hwif, wif/ , n.
any of several flatfishes having both eyes on the left side of the head, of the genus Citharichthys, as C. cornutus (horned whiff) , inhabiting Atlantic waters from New England to Brazil. Cf. left-eyed flounder .
[ 1705-15; orig. uncert. ]