snuff

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /snɐf/ UK /snʌf/ See IPA manual

Freq #14638

Meanings

1

verb
inhale audibly through the nose

Snuff coke.
2

noun
Finely ground or pulverized tobacco (or other plant derivative) intended for use by being sniffed or snorted into the nose.

The native of some South American tribes use this drug as an aphrodisiac in the form of a snuff called cohoba.
3

noun
Fine-ground or minced tobacco, dry or moistened, intended for use by placing a pinch behind the lip or beneath the tongue.

Dry snuffs are often adulterated with quicklime, and moist snuffs, as rappee, with ammonia, hellebore, pearl-ash, etc.
4

verb
To inhale through the nose.

He snuffs the wind, his heels the sand excite.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with snuff

snuff out Phrasal verb C2

to extinguish a flame or light

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · inhale audibly through the... sniffle

3 noun · fine-ground or minced... chewing tobaccodip

Word family

Forms unsnuffed

Derived forms besnuffhuff-snuffsnuff-and-buttersnuff-boxsnuff-dishsnuff-hornsnuff-mullsnuffboxsnuffeesnuffersnuffinglysnuffish

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

snuff out
to extinguish a flame or light

Verb + adverb

Etymology

Late Middle English, from Middle Dutch snuffen (“to snuff, sniff, snuffle”). Related to Dutch snuiven (“to sniff”), Middle Low German snûve (“pose, head-cold”), German Schnupfen (“head-cold”). The noun is probably from Dutch snuf (“snuff”), an abbreviation of snuftabak, snuiftabak (“snuff”). Related to sniff (compare Dutch snuffen (“snuff”), German schnupf (“snuff”), French schnouff (“junk”)).

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# snuff

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /snɐf/
**IPA (UK):** /snʌf/
**Frequency rank:** 14638

## Meanings
1. inhale audibly through the nose
2. Finely ground or pulverized tobacco (or other plant derivative) intended for use by being sniffed or snorted into the nose.
3. Fine-ground or minced tobacco, dry or moistened, intended for use by placing a pinch behind the lip or beneath the tongue.
4. To inhale through the nose.

## Examples
- Snuff coke.
- The native of some South American tribes use this drug as an aphrodisiac in the form of a snuff called cohoba.
- Dry snuffs are often adulterated with quicklime, and moist snuffs, as rappee, with ammonia, hellebore, pearl-ash, etc.
- He snuffs the wind, his heels the sand excite.

## Derived Forms
- besnuff
- huff-snuff
- snuff-and-butter
- snuff-box
- snuff-dish
- snuff-horn
- snuff-mull
- snuffbox
- snuffee
- snuffer
- snuffingly
- snuffish

## Etymology
Late Middle English, from Middle Dutch snuffen (“to snuff, sniff, snuffle”). Related to Dutch snuiven (“to sniff”), Middle Low German snûve (“pose, head-cold”), German Schnupfen (“head-cold”). The noun is probably from Dutch snuf (“snuff”), an abbreviation of snuftabak, snuiftabak (“snuff”). Related to sniff (compare Dutch snuffen (“snuff”), German schnupf (“snuff”), French schnouff (“junk”)).

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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