| Front | sniff |
|---|---|
| Back | sniff verb, noun BrE /snɪf/ NAmE /snɪf/ verb verb forms word origin example bank 1 [intransitive] to breathe air in through your nose in a way that makes a sound, especially when you are crying, have a cold, etc We all had colds and couldn't stop sniffing and sneezing. She sniffed a little and dabbed at her eyes. 2 [transitive, intransitive] to breathe air in through the nose in order to discover or enjoy the smell of sth smell ~ sth sniffing the fresh morning air to sniff glue ~ (at sth) The dog sniffed at my shoes. see also glue-sniffing 3 [transitive, intransitive] + speech| ~ (sth) to say sth in a complaining or disapproving way ‘It's hardly what I'd call elegant,’ she sniffed. not to be ˈsniffed at (informal) good enough to be accepted or considered seriously In those days, $20 was not a sum to be sniffed at. ˌsniff aˈround/ˈround (informal) to try to find out information about sb/sth, especially secret information We don't want journalists sniffing around. ˈsniff around/round sb [no passive] (especially BrE) to try to get sb as a lover, employee, etc Hollywood agents have been sniffing around him. ˈsniff at sth to show no interest in or respect for sth He sniffed at my efforts at writing. ˌsniff sb/sthˈout 1 to discover or find sb/sth by using your sense of smell The dogs are trained to sniff out drugs. 2 (informal) to discover or find sb/sth by looking Journalists are good at sniffing out a scandal. noun word origin example bank 1 [countable] an act or the sound of sniffing She took a deep sniff of the perfume. My mother gave a sniff of disapproval. His sobs soon turned to sniffs. 2 [singular] ~ of sth an idea of what sth is like or that sth is going to happen The sniff of power went to his head. They make threats but back down at the first sniff of trouble. 3 [singular] ~ of sth a small chance of sth She didn't get even a sniff at a medal. have a (good) ˌsniff aˈround to examine a place carefully |
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