snuff

1 of 6

noun (1)

ˈsnəf How to pronounce snuff (audio)
plural snuffs
1
: the charred part of a candlewick
His head instantly dropped, and he ceased breathing as quietly as the snuff of a candle goes out. Paul Jennings
2
a
obsolete : umbrage, offense
—usually used with take
… took snuff at the ostentation of her crooked consort. Samuel Lucas
b
chiefly Scotland : a fit of resentment or indignation : huff
To take a thing in snuff was to take it offensively, and express contempt of the offender by drawing up the nostril … All the Year Round: A Weekly Journal
Taking it to snuff and dudgeon … Maurice Atkins

snuff

2 of 6

verb (1)

snuffed; snuffing; snuffs

transitive verb

1
: to crop the snuff of (a candle) by pinching or by the use of snuffers so as to brighten the light
She hastily snuffed her candle—it was burning dim … Francis Warre Cornish
The man took up the candle, snuffed it with his fingers, and striding up to Ephraim held the light full in his face … Mary Elizabeth Braddon
2
a
: to extinguish (a flame, a candle, etc.) by or as if by the use of a candlesnuffer
Fire crews were making progress as they continued to patrol the town, snuffing small spot fires and sparking a controlled burn to protect the remaining buildings. The Globe and Mail (Canada)
—often used with out
He lit the cones and immediately snuffed them out. Daniel P. WienerI snuffed out my tallow candle, jumped into my coat and moccasins, and plunged out into the snow. Jean Craighead George(figurative) Four cubic miles of volcanic ash and other debris shot as high as 30 miles into the atmosphere, snuffing out the daylight and covering nearby islands with several feet of ash. Cheryl Simon
b
: to cause the end of : to put an end to
Three interceptions in the fourth quarter snuffed San Diego's remaining hopes. John Papanek
—usually used with out
The rebellion might have been easily snuffed out then. Jeffrey Bartholet
also : kill, execute
snuffed the bad guys
… was snuffed to cover up an immense scandal. Linda Grant

snuff

3 of 6

adjective

: characterized by the sensationalistic depiction of violence
especially : featuring a real rather than a staged murder
snuff movies

snuff

4 of 6

verb (2)

snuffed; snuffing; snuffs

transitive verb

1
: to draw forcibly through or into the nostrils
2
: scent, smell
3
: to sniff at in order to examine
—used of an animal

intransitive verb

1
: to inhale through the nose noisily and forcibly
also : to sniff or smell inquiringly
2
obsolete : to sniff loudly in or as if in disgust
3
: to take snuff

snuff

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noun (2)

: the act of snuffing : sniff

snuff

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noun (3)

1
: a preparation of pulverized tobacco to be inhaled through the nostrils, chewed, or placed against the gums
2
: the amount of snuff taken at one time
Phrases
snuff it
British slang
: die
… the man did look absolutely dreadful; dreadful enough that he should almost certainly have snuffed it by now … Matthew Waldram
… a fairly detailed itinerary had emerged giving me the opportunity to achieve at least half of the items on the 'before I snuff it' list. Sydney Marcellus Operahouse
up to snuff
: of sufficient quality : meeting an applicable standard

Synonyms

Verb (2)

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English snoffe

Verb (2)

akin to Dutch snuffen to sniff, snuff — more at snivel

Noun (3)

Dutch snuf, short for snuftabak, from snuffen to snuff + tabak tobacco

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1971, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1527, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1568, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of snuff was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing snuff

Dictionary Entries Near snuff

snudge

snuff

snuff bottle

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Snuff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snuff. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

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Kids Definition

snuff

1 of 3 verb
ˈsnəf How to pronounce snuff (audio)
1
: to cut off the burned end of the wick of a candle so as to brighten the light
2
: to put an end to : extinguish
snuff out a candle
snuff out a life

snuff

2 of 3 verb
1
: to draw forcibly through or into the nostrils
2
: to sniff so as to smell

snuff

3 of 3 noun
: powdered tobacco especially for inhaling through the nostrils

Medical Definition

snuff

noun
ˈsnəf How to pronounce snuff (audio)
: a preparation of pulverized tobacco to be inhaled through the nostrils, chewed, or placed against the gums
also : a preparation of a powdered drug to be inhaled through the nostrils

More from Merriam-Webster on snuff

Nglish: Translation of snuff for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of snuff for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about snuff

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