verb
sniff
snihf
verb
1
To inhale audibly through the nose, often to smell something.
"The dog sniffed the ground, following the scent."
"She sniffed the milk to check if it had gone off."
2
To treat something with scorn or suspicion — used with "at."
"He sniffed at the idea, unimpressed."
noun
1
An act of sniffing, or a small hint of something.
"She caught a sniff of smoke in the hallway."
How to Use Sniff
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA short, noticeable inhale through the nose — or, more loosely, showing disdain toward something.
Common pairings
sniff the air
sniff at
a sniff of scandal
Word Forms
sniffed past tense, sniffs plural, sniffs singular
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The dog _____ the ground, following the scent.
Etymology
From Middle English sniffen, thought to imitate the sound of the action.