sniff
gb/snˈɪf/ us/snˈɪf/
A2
English
~ 2000
megszagol, beleszagol, szipog, szippantás, szipogás, megvetően felhorkant, fanyalog
VERB
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to sniff [something]
She sniffed the soup to check if it was fresh.
Beleszagolt a levesbe, hogy ellenőrizze, friss-e.
He sniffed loudly, trying to stop his nose from running.
Hangosan szipogott, hogy ne folyjon annyira az orra.
The dog sniffed around the garden for clues.
I sniffed the milk and realized it had gone bad.
Learner examples
I sniff the flowers in the park.
Megszagolom a virágokat a parkban.
He sniffed because he had a cold.
Szipogott, mert náthás volt.
The baby sniffed when she was sad.
She sniffed the bread before eating it.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'sniff' with 'smell'. 'Smell' can mean noticing an odor without making a noise or quick breath, while 'sniff' is the physical action.
Meaning
Draw air in through nose
Collocations
sniff the air
|sniff loudly
|sniff deeply
|sniff a flower
|sniff repeatedly
Synonyms
inhale (More general term for breathing in, not limited to the nose.)
|
smell (Means to perceive an odor, but may not imply the physical act of sniffing.)
Antonyms
exhale (Opposite physical action of breathing out.)
Themes
daily life
|health
|senses
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To take air into your nose quickly to smell something or because your nose is wet or blocked.
To quickly breathe air in through the nose, often to detect a smell or because of a cold or crying.
NOUN
A2
2
szippantás
B1
szipogás
B1
She took a sniff of the perfume sample.
Szippantott egyet a parfümmintából.
I heard a quiet sniff from the corner of the room.
Halk szipogást hallottam a szoba sarkából.
One sniff told him the food had spoiled.
Learner examples
He took a sniff of the cake.
Beleszagolt a tortába.
I hear her sniff in the room.
Hallom, ahogy szipog a szobában.
One sniff made me smile.
Meaning
An act of sniffing
Collocations
a loud sniff
|take a sniff
|give a sniff
|sniff of disdain
Synonyms
inhale (General act of breathing in; less specific than 'sniff'.)
Themes
daily life
|health
|senses
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A short breath through your nose to smell something or because your nose is wet.
A short, audible breath in through the nose, often for smelling or because of a cold or crying.
VERB
B2
INFORMAL
3
fanyalog
B2
Usage pattern:
to sniff at [something]
She sniffed at his suggestion and walked away.
Megvetően felhorkant a javaslata hallatán, majd elsétált.
The critics sniffed at the low-budget production.
A kritikusok megvetően felhorkantak az alacsony költségvetésű produkció hallatán.
He sniffed disdainfully when asked about their plan.
Learner examples
She sniffed at my idea.
Megvetően felhorkant az ötletem hallatán.
He sniffed when he heard my plan.
Megvetően felhorkant, amikor meghallotta a tervemet.
They sniffed at her work.
Meaning
Make nose sound to show disapproval
Collocations
sniff at an idea
|sniff dismissively
|sniff haughtily
Synonyms
scoff (Verbal expression of derision; 'sniff' is non-verbal.)
Antonyms
approve (To express agreement or acceptance rather than disapproval.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make a quick sound from your nose to show you do not like something or someone.
To make a short, audible sound through the nose to show dislike, disapproval, or contempt.
Grammar
Dictionary form
sniff
IPA
GB/snˈɪf/
US/snˈɪf/
Syllables & stress
sniff (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (sniff)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: sniff
- Plural: sniffs
Verb
- Base: sniff
- 3rd Person Singular: sniffs
- Present Participle: sniffing
- Past: sniffed
Word family
Forms
sniffs
noun
sniffing
verb
sniffed
verb
Related words
sniffer
noun
sniffle
verb
sniffly
adjective
Expressions
not to be sniffed at
1/nˈɑt tə bˈi snˈɪft ˈæt/
idiom
informal
Worth paying attention to
Used to say that something is good enough to be noticed or accepted.
Examples
- A salary like that is not to be sniffed at.
- Free healthcare is not to be sniffed at.
sniff out
1/snˈɪf ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
Find by smelling or searching
To find something by using your nose or by looking very carefully.
Examples
- The police dog sniffed out the hidden drugs.
- Journalists tried to sniff out the truth about the scandal.