Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense snuffs, present participle snuffing, past tense, past participle snuffed
1. uncountable noun
Snuff is powdered tobacco which people take by breathing it in quickly through their nose.
2. verb
If someone snuffs it, they die.
[British, informal]
He thought he was about to snuff it. [VERBit]
Phrasal verbs:
See snuff out
snuff in British English1
(snʌf)
verb
1. (transitive)
to inhale through the nose
2. (whenintr, often foll by at)
(esp of an animal) to examine by sniffing
noun
3.
an act or the sound of snuffing
Derived forms
snuffer (ˈsnuffer)
noun
Word origin
C16: probably from Middle Dutch snuffen to snuffle, ultimately of imitative origin
snuff in British English2
(snʌf)
noun
1.
finely powdered tobacco for sniffing up the nostrils or less commonly for chewing
2.
a small amount of this
3.
any powdered substance, esp one for sniffing up the nostrils
4. up to snuff
verb
5. (intransitive)
to use or inhale snuff
Word origin
C17: from Dutch snuf, shortened from snuftabale, literally: tobacco for snuffing; see snuff1
snuff in British English3
(snʌf)
verb(transitive)
1. (often foll by out)
to extinguish (a light from a naked flame, esp a candle)
2.
to cut off the charred part of (the wick of a candle, etc)
3. (usually foll by out) informal
to suppress; put an end to
4. snuff it
noun
5.
the burned portion of the wick of a candle
Word origin
C14 snoffe, of obscure origin
snuff in American English1
(snʌf)
noun
1.
the charred end of a candlewick
verb transitive
2.
to trim off the charred end of (a candlewick)
3.
to put out (a candle) with snuffers or by pinching
4. Slang
to kill; murder
adjective
5.
designating or of a kind of pornographic film that shows someone being murdered as the climax of sexual activity
Idioms:
snuff out
Word origin
ME < ?
snuff in American English2
(snʌf)
verb transitive
1.
to draw in through the nose; inhale strongly; sniff
2.
to smell, sniff, or sniff at
verb intransitive
3.
to sniff or snort
noun
4.
the act or sound of snuffing; sniff
5.
a preparation of powdered tobacco that is inhaled by sniffing, chewed, or rubbed on the gums
6.
smell; scent
Idioms:
up to snuff
Word origin
< MDu snuffen < Gmc *snuf- < IE *sneup < base *sneu-: see snout
snuff in American English1
(snʌf)
transitive verb
1.
to draw in through the nose by inhaling
2.
to perceive by or as by smelling; sniff
3.
to examine by smelling, as an animal does
intransitive verb
4.
to draw air into the nostrils by inhaling, as to smell something; snuffle
After snuffing around, he found the gas leak
5.
to draw powdered tobacco into the nostrils; take snuff
6. obsolete
to express disdain, contempt, displeasure, etc., by sniffing
(often fol. by at)
noun
7.
an act of snuffing; an inhalation through the nose; a sniff
8.
smell, scent, or odor
9.
a preparation of tobacco, either powdered and taken into the nostrils by inhalationor ground and placed between the cheek and gum
10.
a pinch of such tobacco
11. See up to snuff
Derived forms
snuffingly
adverb
Word origin
[1520–30; ‹ D snuffen]
snuff in American English2
(snʌf)
noun
1.
the charred or partly consumed portion of a candlewick
2.
a thing of little or no value, esp. if left over
transitive verb
3.
to cut off or remove the snuff of (candles, tapers, etc)
4. See snuff out
Word origin
[1350–1400; ME snoffe ‹ ?]
Examples of 'snuff' in a sentence
snuff
Another bank lending freeze could easily snuff out our weak economic recovery.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It is such a tragedy that that flame has been snuffed out.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The church candles have been snuffed out.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
Wales had more than enough to snuff out the threat from Argentina.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Freedom of speech is a very precious thing, and too easily snuffed out.
The Sun (2016)
They would have been able to get ahead, snuff out any threats and kill the game off.
The Sun (2011)
Hundreds of candles will be snuffed out until there is one left on the unknown soldier's tomb.
The Sun (2014)
And in a game where their attacking threat gets snuffed out, they can still come up with the goods.
The Sun (2012)
The flame was snuffed out.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
His thundering spell of mesmeric hostility first snuffed out the candle flame of Australian hope and then plunged them into the darkness of defeat.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Wartime, he promised, meant no more plots about missing snuff boxes.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It is a fragile thing, freedom of speech, and easily snuffed out.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
His control of length was awry and Australia's batsmen snuffed out his threat effectively.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Word lists with
snuff
Tobacco types
In other languages
snuff
British English: snuff NOUN
Snuff is powdered tobacco which people take by breathing it in quickly through their nose.
...the old man's habit of taking snuff.
American English: snuff
Brazilian Portuguese: rapé
Chinese: 鼻烟
European Spanish: rapé
French: tabac à priser
German: Schnupftabak
Italian: tabacco da fiuto
Japanese: かぎたばこ
Korean: 코담배
European Portuguese: rapé
Latin American Spanish: rapé
All related terms of 'snuff'
snuff it
to die
snuff out
To snuff out something such as a disagreement means to stop it, usually in a forceful or sudden way.
snuff movie
a pornographic film in which an unsuspecting actress or actor is murdered at the climax of the film
snuff-dipping
the practice of absorbing nicotine by holding in one's mouth, between the cheek and the gum , a small amount of tobacco , either loose or enclosed in a sachet