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Sniff vs Snift - What's the difference?

sniff | snift |

As nouns the difference between sniff and snift

is that sniff is an instance of sniffing while snift is (uk|dialect) a moment.

As verbs the difference between sniff and snift

is that sniff is (ambitransitive) to make a short, audible inhalation, through the nose, as if to smell something while snift is to snort.

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

    snift

    English

    Etymology 1

    Noun

  • (UK, dialect) A moment.
    • (Halliwell)
  • (UK, dialect, uncountable) Slight snow; sleet.
    • (Halliwell)

    Etymology 2

    From sniff.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To snort.
  • * Johnson
    • resentment expressed by snifting
  • To sniff; to snuff; to smell.
  • * Landor
    • It now appears that they were still snifting and hankering after their old quarters.
    (Webster 1913)