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Sniff vs Blow - What's the difference?

sniff | blow |

In lang=en terms the difference between sniff and blow

is that sniff is to perceive vaguely while blow is to put out of breath; to cause to blow from fatigue.

As nouns the difference between sniff and blow

is that sniff is an instance of sniffing while blow is a strong wind or blow can be the act of striking or hitting or blow can be a mass or display of flowers; a yield.

As verbs the difference between sniff and blow

is that sniff is (ambitransitive) to make a short, audible inhalation, through the nose, as if to smell something while blow is to produce an air current or blow can be to blossom; to cause to bloom or blossom.

As an adjective blow is

blue.

sniff

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • An instance of sniffing.
  • She gave the flowers a quick sniff to check they were real.
  • A quantity of something that is inhaled through the nose
  • A brief perception
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=November 3 , author=Chris Bevan , title=Rubin Kazan 1 - 0 Tottenham , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Tottenham did have a sniff of goal when Defoe's drilled cross just eluded his strike partner at the far post but their best effort came early in the second half when Ryan Fredericks cut in from the right before firing into the side netting.}}

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To make a short, audible inhalation, through the nose, as if to smell something.
  • The dog sniffed around the park, searching for a nice scent.
    I sniffed the meat to see if it hadn't gone off.
  • To say something while sniffing, for example in case of illness or unhappiness, or in contempt.
  • "He's never coming back, is he?" she sniffed while looking at a picture of him.
  • To perceive vaguely
  • I can sniff trouble coming from the basement.
  • To be dismissive or contemptuous of something.
  • (computing) To intercept and analyse packets of data being transmitted over a network.
  • (slang, UK) To inhale drugs in powder form (usually cocaine) through the nose.
  • Derived terms

    * sniff test

    blow

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) blo, bloo, from (etyl) .

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Blue.
  • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) blowen, from (etyl) ).

    Verb

  • To produce an air current.
  • * 1606 , , King Lear , act 3, sc. 2:
  • "Blow', winds, and crack your cheeks! rage! ' blow !"
  • * Walton
  • Hark how it rains and blows !
  • To propel by an air current.
  • Blow the dust off that book and open it up.
  • To be propelled by an air current.
  • The leaves blow through the streets in the fall.
  • To create or shape by blowing; as in to blow bubbles'', ''to blow glass .
  • To force a current of air upon with the mouth, or by other means.
  • to blow the fire
  • To clear of contents by forcing air through.
  • to blow an egg
    to blow one's nose
  • To cause to make sound by blowing, as a musical instrument.
  • To make a sound as the result of being blown.
  • In the harbor, the ships' horns blew .
  • * Milton
  • There let the pealing organ blow .
  • (of a cetacean) To exhale visibly through the spout the seawater which it has taken in while feeding.
  • There's nothing more thrilling to the whale watcher than to see a whale surface and blow .
    There she blows ! (i.e. "I see a whale spouting!")
  • To explode.
  • Get away from that burning gas tank! It's about to blow !
  • To cause to explode, shatter, or be utterly destroyed.
  • The demolition squad neatly blew the old hotel up.
    The aerosol can was blown to bits.
  • To cause sudden destruction of.
  • He blew the tires and the engine.
  • To suddenly fail destructively.
  • He tried to sprint, but his ligaments blew and he was barely able to walk to the finish line.
  • (slang) To be very undesirable (see also suck).
  • This blows !
  • (slang) To recklessly squander.
  • I managed to blow $1000 at blackjack in under an hour.
    I blew $35 thou on a car.
    We blew an opportunity to get benign corporate sponsorship.
  • (vulgar) To fellate.
  • Who did you have to blow to get those backstage passes?
  • To leave.
  • Let's blow this joint.
  • To make flyblown, to defile, especially with fly eggs.
  • * 1606 , , Act V, scene 2, line 55.
  • Shall they hoist me up,
    And show me to the shouting varletry
    Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt
    Be gentle grave unto me, rather on Nilus' mud
    Lay me stark naked, and let the water-flies
    Blow me into abhorring!
  • * 1610 , , act 3 scene 1
  • (FERDINAND)
    I am, in my condition,
    A prince, Miranda; I do think, a king;—
    I would not so!—and would no more endure
    This wooden slavery than to suffer
    The flesh-fly blow my mouth.
  • (obsolete) To spread by report; to publish; to disclose.
  • * Dryden
  • Through the court his courtesy was blown .
  • * Whiting
  • His language does his knowledge blow .
  • (obsolete) To inflate, as with pride; to puff up.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Look how imagination blows him.
  • To breathe hard or quick; to pant; to puff.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Here is Mistress Page at the door, sweating and blowing .
  • To put out of breath; to cause to blow from fatigue.
  • to blow a horse
    (Sir Walter Scott)
  • (obsolete) To talk loudly; to boast; to storm.
  • * Bartlett
  • You blow behind my back, but dare not say anything to my face.
    Derived terms
    * blow a gasket * blow a kiss * blow apart * blow away * blower * blowhard * blow hot and cold * blowhorn * blow it * blowjob * blow me * blow off * blow off steam * blow one's horn * blow one's nose * blow one's top * blow one's trumpet * blow out * blowout * blow over * blow someone out of the water * blow someone's brains out * blow someone's mind * blow someone's socks off * blow the whistle * blow up * blow upon * blowup * blow up in one's face * glassblower * mind-blowing * there she blows

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A strong wind.
  • We're having a bit of a blow this afternoon.
  • (informal) A chance to catch one’s breath.
  • The players were able to get a blow during the last timeout.
  • (uncountable, US, slang) Cocaine.
  • (uncountable, UK, slang) Cannabis.
  • (uncountable, US Chicago Regional, slang) Heroin.
  • Etymology 3

    (etyl) blowe, blaw, northern variant of , Middle Dutch blouwen). Related to block.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of striking or hitting.
  • A fabricator is used to direct a sharp blow to the surface of the stone.
    During an exchange to end round 13, Duran landed a blow to the midsection.
  • A sudden or forcible act or effort; an assault.
  • * T. Arnold
  • A vigorous blow might win [Hanno's camp].
  • A damaging occurrence.
  • A further blow to the group came in 1917 when Thomson died while canoeing in Algonquin Park.
  • * Shakespeare
  • a most poor man, made tame to fortune's blows
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011
  • , date=April 15 , author=Saj Chowdhury , title=Norwich 2 - 1 Nott'm Forest , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Norwich returned to second in the Championship with victory over Nottingham Forest, whose promotion hopes were dealt another blow .}}
    Synonyms
    * (The act of striking) bace, strike, hit, punch * (A damaging occurrence) disaster, calamity
    Derived terms
    * blow-by-blow * body blow * come to blows * low blow

    Etymology 4

    (etyl) blowen, from (etyl) 'to bloom').

    Verb

  • To blossom; to cause to bloom or blossom.
  • * 1599 ,
  • You seem to me as in her orb,
    As chaste as is the bud ere it be blown ;
  • * 1667 ,
  • How blows the citron grove.
  • * 1784 , William Cowper, Tirocinium; or, A Review of Schools
  • Boys are at best but pretty buds unblown ,
    Whose scent and hues are rather guessed than known;
  • * '>citation
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • A mass or display of flowers; a yield.
  • * (rfdate) :
  • Such a blow of tulips.
  • A display of anything brilliant or bright.
  • A bloom, state of flowering.
  • roses in full blow .