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snuff
snuff1 / snəf/ • v. [tr.] extinguish (a candle): a breeze snuffed out the candle. ∎ inf. put an end to (something) in a brutal manner: his life was snuffed out by a sniper's bullet. ∎ inf. kill: I lost track of the number of people he snuffed who were wearing bulletproof fabric. ∎ (snuff it) Brit., inf. die. ∎ dated trim the charred wick from (a candle). • n. the charred part of a candle wick. snuff2 • n. powdered tobacco that is sniffed up the nostril rather than smoked: a pinch of snuff. • v. [tr.] inhale or sniff at (something): they stood snuffing up the keen cold air. ∎ [intr.] archaic sniff up powdered tobacco. PHRASES: up to snuff inf. 1. meeting the required standard: they need a million dollars to get their facilities up to snuff. ∎ in good health: he hadn't felt up to snuff all summer. 2. Brit., archaic not easily deceived; knowing: an up-to-snuff old vagabond. |
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Cite this article
"snuff." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "snuff." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-snuff.html "snuff." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-snuff.html |
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snuff
snuff2 powdered tobacco for inhaling through the nostrils. XVII. — Du. snuf, prob. short for snuftabak, f. MDu. snuffen snuffle, whence Eng. snuff (XVI) inhale through the nostrils.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "snuff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "snuff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-snuff1.html T. F. HOAD. "snuff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-snuff1.html |
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snuff
snuff1 portion of candle-wick partly consumed. XIV. of unkn. orig.
Hence snuff vb. remove the snuff from XV; extinguish XVII (sl. intr. with out, die XIX). |
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "snuff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "snuff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-snuff.html T. F. HOAD. "snuff." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-snuff.html |
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snuff
snuff
•bluff, buff, chough, chuff, cuff, duff, enough, fluff, gruff, guff, huff, luff, muff, puff, rough, ruff, scruff, scuff, slough, snuff, stuff, Tough, tuff
•handcuff • earmuff • powder puff
•dandruff • woodruff • feedstuff
•greenstuff • foodstuff
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Cite this article
"snuff." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "snuff." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-snuff.html "snuff." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-snuff.html |
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