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Snuff

//snʌf// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Adjective

1
snuff colored; of a greyish to yellowish brown wordnet

Noun

1
Finely ground or pulverized tobacco (or other plant derivative) intended for use by being sniffed or snorted into the nose. countable, uncountable
"The native of some South American tribes use this drug as an aphrodisiac in the form of a snuff called cohoba."
2
The burning part of a candle wick, or the black, burnt remains of a wick (which must be periodically removed). countable, uncountable
"his memory stinks like the snuff of a candle when it is put out […]"
3
sensing an odor by inhaling through the nose wordnet
4
Fine-ground or minced tobacco, dry or moistened, intended for use by placing a pinch behind the lip or beneath the tongue. countable, uncountable
"Dry snuffs are often adulterated with quicklime, and moist snuffs, as rappee, with ammonia, hellebore, pearl-ash, etc."
5
Leavings in a glass after drinking; heeltaps. countable, obsolete, uncountable

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6
finely powdered tobacco for sniffing up the nose wordnet
7
A snort or sniff of fine-ground, powdered, or pulverized tobacco. countable, uncountable
8
A murder. countable, slang, uncountable
"The cops are chasing their own asses on the St Christopher case, so how about a “Are You St Christopher's Next Slaying?” piece? Profiles of all the snuffs to date and reconstructions of the victims' last minutes."
9
a pinch of smokeless tobacco inhaled at a single time wordnet
10
The act of briskly inhaling by the nose; a sniff, a snort. countable, uncountable
11
A film or video clip which involves a real non-acted murder. attributive, countable, slang, uncountable
12
the charred portion of a candlewick wordnet
13
Resentment or skepticism expressed by quickly drawing air through the nose; snuffling; sniffling. countable, uncountable
14
Snot, mucus. countable, obsolete, uncountable
15
Smell, scent, odour. countable, obsolete, uncountable

Verb

1
To inhale through the nose.
"He snuffs the wind, his heels the sand excite."
2
To extinguish a candle or oil-lamp flame by covering the burning end of the wick until the flame is suffocated. countable, informal, uncountable
"If you like snuff stories, Mr. Witomski's computer will send you information about the Gladiator newsletter. And if you happen to prefer killing sexual partners of the opposite sex — no problem, the computer will alter the pronouns."
3
inhale (something) through the nose wordnet
4
To turn up the nose and inhale air, as an expression of contempt; hence, to take offence.
"January 29, 1625, Joseph Hall, Public thanksgiving for the wonderful mitigation of the late morality Do the enemies of the church rage and snuff?"
5
To trim the burnt part of a candle wick. obsolete
"The dimness of the light her candle emitted made her turn to it in alarm; but there was no danger of its sudden extinction, it had yet some hours to burn; and that she might not have any greater difficulty in distinguishing the writing than what its ancient date might occasion, she hastily snuffed it. Alas! it was snuffed and extinguished in one."

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6
sniff or smell inquiringly wordnet
7
To drug (a person) with a mixture of snuff and beer. Ireland, UK, obsolete, slang, transitive
8
To snuff out; to extinguish; to put out; to kill. slang
"Too much of a coward to snuff myself Guess I'll just have to suffer myself"

Etymology

Etymology 1

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”)).

Etymology 2

Etymology 3

From Middle English snoffe, snuffe, of uncertain origin. Compare Middle Dutch snuf, snof (“snuff”), Dutch sneuvelen (“to die in battle”).

Etymology 4

From Middle English snuffen, snoffen, from the noun (see Etymology 2 above).

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