snuff

noun

1. 1

   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.

2. 2

   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.

   […] most of the women dipped snuff and of course had a spit-cup in the house.

3. 3

   A snort or sniff of fine-ground, powdered, or pulverized tobacco.

4. 4

   The act of briskly inhaling by the nose; a sniff, a snort.

5. 5

   Resentment or skepticism expressed by quickly drawing air through the nose; snuffling; sniffling.

6. 6

   obsoleteSnot, mucus.

7. 7

   obsoleteSmell, scent, odour.

verb

1. 1

   To inhale through the nose.

   He snuffs the wind, his heels the sand excite.

   Earl Walter winds his bugle horn; / To horſe, to horſe, halloo, halloo! / His fiery courſer ſnuffs the morn, / And thronging ſerfs their Lord purſue.

   Napoleon paced to and fro in silence, occasionally snuffing at the ground.

2. 2

   To turn up the nose and inhale air, as an expression of contempt; hence, to take offense.

   January 29, 1625, Joseph Hall, Public thanksgiving for the wonderful mitigation of the late morality Do the enemies of the church rage and snuff?

3. 3

   obsoleteTo drug (a person) with a mixture of snuff and beer.

noun

1. 1

   The burning part of a candle wick, or the black, burnt remains of a wick (which must be periodically removed).

   his memory stinks like the snuff of a candle when it is put out […]

   If the burning snuff happens to get out of the snuffers, you have a chance that it may fall into a dish of soup.

2. 2

   obsoleteLeavings in a glass after drinking; heeltaps.

3. 3

   slangA murder.

   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.

4. 4

   slangA film or video clip which involves a real non-acted murder.

verb

1. 1

   informalTo extinguish a candle or oil-lamp flame by covering the burning end of the wick until the flame is suffocated.

   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.

   insane woman voice: no i’m not into snuff or gore I just like when pretty femmes get their heads chopped off

2. 2

   obsoleteTo trim the burnt part of a candle wick.

   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.

3. 3

   slangTo snuff out; to extinguish; to put out; to kill.

   Too much of a coward to snuff myself Guess I'll just have to suffer myself

   A court yesterday rejected a challenge to the constitutionality of prohibiting same-sex marriage, snuffing hopes for marriage equality proponents to shortcut stalled legislative efforts.

Forms

plural

snuffs

past tense

snuffed

past participle

snuffed

present participle

snuffing

third person singular

snuffs