snuff
gb/snˈʌf/ us/snˈʌf/
B2
English
~ 9500
elolt, derékba tör, kinyír, megöl, eltesz láb alól, burnót, tubák, tubákol, burnótozik, snufffilm, snuffvideó, kanócgomba, elszenesedett kanócvég, szimatol, megszimatol
VERB
B2
1
elolt
A2
derékba tör
B2
Usage pattern:
to snuff (out) [something]
The firefighters managed to snuff out the blaze before it reached the houses.
A tűzoltóknak sikerült eloltaniuk a tüzet, mielőtt az elérte volna a házakat.
One careless tweet was enough to snuff out any chance of a political comeback.
Egyetlen meggondolatlan tweet elég volt ahhoz, hogy derékba törje a politikai visszatérés minden esélyét.
The government moved quickly to snuff out the growing protest movement.
With a quick pinch of her fingers, she snuffed out the candle and the room went dark.
Learner examples
He snuffed out the candle before going to bed.
Lefekvés előtt eloltotta a gyertyát.
New rules may snuff out small street markets in the city.
Az új szabályok derékba törhetik a város kis utcai piacait.
The bad news snuffed out their last bit of hope.
Police moved in to snuff out the illegal party.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "snuff" with "sniff". "Snuff" (often "snuff out") means to put an end to something, while "sniff" means to breathe in through the nose to smell something.
Meaning
extinguish or put an end to
Collocations
snuff out a candle
|snuff out a flame
|snuff out a life
|snuff out hope
|snuff out resistance
|snuff out a movement
Synonyms
extinguish (More formal and mainly used for fires, lights, or hopes; does not carry the underworld or violent tone that 'snuff out' can have when used about people.)
Antonyms
ignite (Means to start a fire or cause something to begin, the opposite of putting it out or ending it.)
Themes
daily life
|violence
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make a light, fire, or activity stop, often suddenly and completely.
To extinguish a flame or to stop something from continuing, often suddenly or completely, sometimes used figuratively for hopes, plans, or movements.
VERB
C1
SLANG
2
Usage pattern:
to snuff [someone]
The gang threatened to snuff anyone who talked to the police.
A banda azzal fenyegetőzött, hogy kinyír mindenkit, aki beszél a rendőrséggel.
In the film, a corrupt businessman hires a hitman to snuff his former partner.
A filmben egy korrupt üzletember felbérel egy bérgyilkost, hogy kinyírja a volt társát.
Witnesses say the cartel snuffed two rivals to send a message.
Learner examples
The boss in the movie tells the hitman to snuff the traitor.
A filmben a főnök azt mondja a bérgyilkosnak, hogy nyírja ki az árulót.
They planned to snuff him before he could speak in court.
Azt tervezték, hogy kinyírják, mielőtt megszólalhatna a bíróságon.
The killer tried to snuff the only witness.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this use is neutral because it appears in movies and TV. In reality, it is slang and quite strong; it should usually be avoided in normal polite conversation.
Meaning
kill someone, often violently
Collocations
snuff a rival
|snuff a witness
|snuff the victim
|threaten to snuff someone
|ordered him snuffed
|snuff the target
Synonyms
kill (More general and neutral; "snuff" sounds more like underworld slang and often suggests a cold, planned act.)
Antonyms
spare (Means to choose not to kill someone, the opposite of deciding to kill them.)
Themes
violence
|crime
|media
|law
Definition
To kill a person on purpose, often in a violent or criminal way.
To kill someone deliberately, especially in a planned, violent way, used mainly in crime-related slang.
NOUN
C1
ARCHAIC
3
He took a pinch of snuff and sneezed loudly.
Vett egy csipet burnótot, és hangosan tüsszentett.
The museum display included an ornate silver snuff box.
A múzeumi kiállításon egy díszes ezüst burnótosszelence is volt.
You could smell snuff and pipe smoke all through the old house.
Learner examples
In the past, many rich men used snuff.
Régen sok gazdag férfi használt burnótot.
He kept his snuff in a small gold box.
A burnótját egy kis aranyszelencében tartotta.
After taking snuff, he wiped his nose with a handkerchief.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "snuff" as a noun always means this tobacco. In modern English, this meaning is quite old-fashioned, and "snuff" is now more often seen in expressions like "snuff out" or in "snuff movie".
Meaning
powdered tobacco for nasal use
Collocations
take snuff
|a pinch of snuff
|snuff box
|smell of snuff
|snuff habit
|packet of snuff
Synonyms
nasal tobacco (More descriptive and technical; it clearly explains that the tobacco is used through the nose.)
Antonyms
fresh air (Represents breathing clean air instead of inhaling tobacco, the opposite of using snuff.)
Themes
health
|addictions
|history
Definition
Very fine tobacco that people breathe in through the nose, common in the past.
Finely ground tobacco that is taken by sniffing it into the nose, now mainly associated with past centuries or specific traditions.
VERB
C2
ARCHAIC
4
tubákol
C1
burnótozik
C1
Usage pattern:
to snuff [tobacco]
He paused to snuff a pinch of tobacco before speaking again.
Megállt egy pillanatra, hogy felszippantson egy csipet burnótot, mielőtt újra megszólalt.
The old man sat by the fire, reading and quietly snuffing from his box.
Az öreg a tűz mellett ült, olvasott, és csendben tubákolt a szelencéjéből.
She wrinkled her nose as her husband snuffed beside her at the opera.
Learner examples
Long ago, some people did not smoke; they snuffed tobacco instead.
Régen néhányan nem dohányoztak, hanem burnótot szippantottak helyette.
He snuffed a little tobacco and then began to talk.
Felszippantott egy kis burnótot, aztán beszélni kezdett.
The count liked to sit and snuff while he read.
Meaning
inhale powdered tobacco
Collocations
snuff tobacco
|snuff a pinch
|snuff deeply
|snuff at intervals
|habit of snuffing
Synonyms
inhale (A general word for breathing in; "snuff" here is specifically about inhaling powdered tobacco.)
Antonyms
exhale (Means to breathe out, the opposite of drawing something into the nose.)
Themes
health
|addictions
|history
Definition
To pull fine tobacco into the nose by breathing in through the nose.
To take powdered tobacco into the nose by sniffing it.
NOUN
C1
INFORMAL
5
snufffilm
C1
snuffvideó
C1
The documentary explored the urban legends surrounding so‑called snuff movies.
A dokumentumfilm az úgynevezett snufffilmeket övező városi legendákat vizsgálta.
Police seized computers that were allegedly used to distribute snuff online.
A rendőrség lefoglalta azokat a számítógépeket, amelyeket állítólag snuffvideók online terjesztésére használtak.
Many horror fans insist that true snuff films are extremely rare or do not exist at all.
Learner examples
The news story talked about people selling snuff videos on the dark web.
A híradás arról szólt, hogy emberek snuffvideókat árulnak a dark weben.
Some horror fans argue about whether real snuff films exist.
Néhány horrorrajongó azon vitatkozik, hogy léteznek-e valódi snufffilmek.
The police arrested a man for sharing a snuff movie on the internet.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse "snuff" in "snuff movie" with the tobacco meaning. Here it is unrelated and refers to a film that claims to show a real killing.
Meaning
video showing a real killing
Collocations
snuff movie
|snuff film
|internet snuff
|fake snuff
|trade in snuff videos
|search for snuff online
Synonyms
murder video (Descriptive rather than idiomatic; clearly states that the video shows a killing, without the specific cultural associations of "snuff".)
Antonyms
staged violence (Refers to fake or acted violence in films, the opposite of real, recorded killing.)
Themes
crime
|media
|violence
|arts_entertainment
|law
Definition
A movie or video that shows a real person being killed, made for people to watch, often in a sexual or violent way.
A recording, especially a pornographic or underground film, that is claimed to show a real murder being carried out for the viewer's entertainment.
NOUN
C2
ARCHAIC
6
He trimmed the snuff from the candle so it would burn cleanly.
Levágta a gyertya elszenesedett kanócvégét, hogy tisztábban égjen.
The sharp smell of candle snuff filled the dark room.
A sötét szobát betöltötte az elégett kanócvég csípős szaga.
Drops of wax and bits of snuff stained the old brass holder.
Learner examples
She cut off the black snuff from the candle.
Levágta a gyertya fekete kanócvégét.
The room smelled of smoke and candle snuff.
A szobában füst és elégett kanóc szaga terjengett.
Bits of snuff fell on the table as he cleaned the candle.
Meaning
burnt end of candle wick
Collocations
trim the snuff
|long snuff
|dirty snuff
|smell of candle snuff
|snuff on the table
Synonyms
wick end (A descriptive phrase that explains what part of the candle is meant without the old-fashioned term.)
Antonyms
fresh wick (Refers to a clean, unburnt wick, the opposite of a burnt snuff.)
Themes
objects
|home
|history
|daily_life
Definition
The small, black, burnt piece at the end of a candle wick after it burns.
The blackened, burnt end of a candle wick that remains after the candle has been burning.
VERB
C2
LITERARY
7
szimatol
B1
megszimatol
B1
Usage pattern:
to snuff [air]
She snuffed the air, trying to catch the faint smell of smoke.
A levegőt szimatolta, próbálta megérezni a füst halvány szagát.
The old horse snuffed at my hand before taking the apple.
Az öreg ló megszimatolta a kezemet, mielőtt elvette az almát.
He snuffed at their offer, clearly thinking it beneath him.
Learner examples
The dog snuffed the air and then barked.
A kutya a levegőt szimatolta, aztán ugatni kezdett.
He snuffed at the soup before tasting it.
Megszimatolta a levest, mielőtt megkóstolta.
She snuffed loudly to show she did not like the idea.
Common mistake:
Learners almost never need this sense in modern English. In most situations, "sniff" is the natural choice.
Meaning
sniff air through the nose
Collocations
snuff the air
|snuff contemptuously
|snuff at [something]
|snuff indignantly
|snuff and sneeze
Synonyms
sniff (The normal modern verb; "snuff" in this sense sounds old-fashioned or literary.)
Antonyms
hold one's breath (To stop breathing in, the opposite of sharply drawing air into the nose.)
Themes
body
|emotions
|communication
Definition
To breathe in air quickly through the nose to smell something or to show you do not like something.
To draw air in sharply through the nose, especially to smell something or to show disapproval, a use now largely replaced by "sniff".
Grammar
Dictionary form
snuff
IPA
GB/snˈʌf/
US/snˈʌf/
Syllables & stress
snuff (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (snuff)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: snuff
- Plural: snuff, snuffs
Verb
- Base: snuff
- 3rd Person Singular: snuffs
- Present Participle: snuffing
- Past: snuffed
Word family
Forms
snuffs
noun
snuffing
verb
snuffed
verb
Related words
snuffer
noun
Expressions
snuff film
1/snˈʌf fˈɪlm/
fixed phrase
informal
film recording a real murder
A film that shows a real killing, made for people to watch, usually in a secret or illegal way.
Examples
- Rumors about an underground snuff film shocked the small town.
- Critics argued that the movie came uncomfortably close to looking like a snuff film.
snuff it
1/snˈʌf ˈɪt/
idiom
informal
die, especially suddenly
To die, especially in an accident or in a way that was not planned; mainly British and informal.
Examples
- He nearly snuffed it when his car skidded off the road.
- Grandad always said he wanted to see the sea one more time before he snuffed it.
snuff movie
1/snˈʌf mˈuvi/
fixed phrase
informal
film showing a real killing
A film that is claimed to show a real person being killed, made for people to watch, often in a sexual or very violent way.
Examples
- The horror film plays with the idea of a cursed snuff movie.
- Police warned that sharing so‑called snuff movies online could lead to prosecution.
snuff out
1/snˈʌf ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
extinguish or end completely
To completely stop a light, fire, life, or activity, often suddenly or by force.
Examples
- A sudden gust of wind snuffed out the candles on the cake.
- The new law is likely to snuff out any remaining street protests.
- The disease snuffed out thousands of lives before it was brought under control.
take snuff
1/tˈeɪk snˈʌf/
fixed phrase
archaic
use powdered tobacco by nose
To use snuff (powdered tobacco) by breathing it in through the nose, especially in older times.
Examples
- The gentleman paused to take snuff from his gold box.
- Many characters in nineteenth‑century novels take snuff while they talk.
up to snuff
1/ˈʌp tə snˈʌf/
idiom
informal
good enough; acceptable quality
Good enough for the needed level; as good as it should be.
Examples
- If your work isn’t up to snuff, you may not pass the course.
- The restaurant just isn’t up to snuff anymore, so we stopped going.