Sniff

English Meaning

To draw air audibly up the nose; to snuff; -- sometimes done as a gesture of suspicion, offense, or contempt.

1. To inhale a short, audible breath through the nose, as in smelling something.
2. To sniffle.
3. To use the sense of smell, as in savoring or investigating: sniffed at the jar to see what it held.
4. To regard something in a contemptuous or dismissive manner: The critics sniffed at the adaptation of the novel to film.
5. Informal To pry; snoop: The reporters came sniffing around for more details.
6. To inhale forcibly through the nose: sniffed the cool morning air.
7. To smell, as in savoring or investigating: sniffed the lilacs; sniffed the breeze for traces of smoke.
8. To perceive or detect by or as if by sniffing: dogs that sniffed out the trail through the snow; sniffed trouble ahead.
9. To utter in a contemptuous or haughty manner: The countess sniffed her disapproval.
10. An instance or the sound of sniffing.
11. Something sniffed or perceived by or as if by sniffing; a whiff: a sniff of perfume; a sniff of scandal.