Sekirov Dictionary

whiff

/wɪf/

noun 16
verb 16
adjective 1
exclamation 1
forms 5

noun16

•
A brief, gentle breeze; a light gust of air; a waft.
- Purrus at Pryam driues, but all in rage, / Strikes vvide, but vvith the vvhiffe and vvinde / Of his fell svvord, th'unnerued father falles. — 1599
•
An odour (usually unpleasant) carried briefly through the air.
- [E]v'ry twentieth pace / Conducts the unguarded nose to such a whiff / Of stale debauch forth-issuing from the styes / That law has licensed, as makes temp'rance reel. — 1785
•
(figurative) A slight sign of something; a burst, a glimpse, a hint.
- [A] vvhiff of military pride had puff'd out his shirt at the vvrist; and upon that in a black leather thong clipp'd into a tassel beyond the knot, hung the Corporal's stick— […] — 1767
(figurative) A characteristic quality of something; a flavour, a savour, a taste.
•
A small quantity of cloud, smoke, vapour, etc.; specifically (obsolete), chiefly in take the whiff: a puff of tobacco smoke.
- Shift. […] His cheef exercises are taking the VVhiffe, squiring a Cocatrice, and making priuie searches for Imparters. — 1599
(slang, figurative) A failure to hit a ball in various sports (for example, golf); a miss.
(slang, figurative) From the batter's perspective: a strike.
•
A short inhalation or exhalation of breath, especially when accompanied by smoke from a cigarette or pipe.
- Four pipes after dinner he constantly smokes; / And seasons his whifs with impertinent jokes. — 1718
(figurative) A slight attack or touch.
•
A sound like that of air passing through a small opening; a short or soft whistle.
- Nic. ansvver'd little to that, but immediately pull'd out a Boatsvvain's VVhistle; upon the first VVhiff, the Tradesmen came jumping into the Room, […] — 1712
Any of a number of flatfish such as (dated) the lemon sole (Microstomus kitt) and now, especially, the megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) and (with a descriptive word) a species of large-tooth flounder or sand flounder (family Paralichthyidae).
•
A flag used as a signal.
- When the Indiaman was within a mile, the stranger threw out neutral colours, and hoisted a whiff, half-mast down, as a signal that she was in distress. — 1832
An outrigged boat for one person propelled by oar.
(no longer used) A cigarette or small cigar.
•
(no longer used) An expulsion of explosive or shot.
- Singular: in old Broglie's time, six years ago, this Whiff of Grapeshot was promised: but it could not be given then; could not have profited then. — 1837
(no longer used) A sip of an alcoholic beverage.

verb16

•
To breathe in or sniff (an odour); to smell.
- Come, come, my deare, and let us both retire / And vvhiffe the dainties of the fragrant fields: […] — 1635
(US, slang) Of a pitcher: to strike out (a batter); to fan.
•
(US, slang) Especially in baseball or golf: to completely miss hitting a ball; hence (baseball), of a batter: to strike out; to fan.
- "Casey Bat". You can't help but swing this bat with all your might. There's a good chance that you may just whiff. — 1995
(slang) To fail spectacularly.
(slang) In fighting games, to execute a move that fails to hit the opponent.
To smell; to sniff.
•
(slang) To give off or have an unpleasant smell; to stink.
- She [a dead cat]—is—there, gettin' ready to surprise 'em. Presently she'll begin to whisper to 'em in their dreams. Then she'll whiff. Golly, how she'll whiff! — 1899
•
To inhale or exhale (smoke from tobacco, etc.) from a cigarette, pipe, or other smoking implement; to smoke (a cigarette, pipe, etc.); to puff.
- VVhat pleasure tak'st thou in that breath, vvhich dravvs & vvhiffs perpetuall fears? — 1645
•
To smoke a cigarette, pipe, or other smoking implement.
- Morrow Captaine Tucca, vvill you vvhiffe this morning? — 1601
•
To carry or convey (something) by, or as by, a whiff or puff of air; to blow, puff, or waft away.
- Five weeks ago, when they kissed the hand of Majesty, the mode he took got nothing but censure; and then his 'sincere attachment,' how was it scornfully whiffed aside! — 1837
•
To be carried, or move as if carried, by a puff of air; to waft.
- […] I have sought to stay myself, in falling, against what looked to be a solid trunk, and the whole thing has whiffed away at my touch like a sheet of paper. — 1889
To move in a way that causes a light gust of air, or a whistling sound.
•
To say (something) with an exhalation of breath.
- [H]e sat solitary and pensive vvith his pipe—looking at his lame leg—then vvhiffing out a sentimental heigh ho! vvhich mixing vvith the smoak, incommoded no one mortal. — 1765
To catch fish by dragging a handline near the surface of the water from a moving boat.
•
(slang, no longer used) To shoot (someone) with a firearm; hence, to assassinate or kill (someone).
- Arms are the one thing needful: with arms we are an unconquerable man-defying National Guard; without arms, a rabble to be whiffed with grapeshot. — 1837
•
(no longer used) To consume (an alcoholic beverage).
- Hee therefore that would striue to fashion his leggs to his silke stockins, and his proud gate to his broad garters, let him whiffe downe these obseruations; […] — 1609

adjective1

•
(informal) Having a strong or unpleasant odour.
- Whoo boy that gear oil is pretty whiff. If you actually do this, spend the extra money for the synthetic gear oil as it will not have as bad a sulfur stink as the regular stuff. — 2002

exclamation1

•
Used to indicate a sound like that of air passing through a small opening, that is, a short or soft whistle.
- Sir Willoughby, […] made to this extraordinary remonstrance no other reply than a long whiff, and a "Well, Russelton, dash my wig (a favourite oath of Sir W.'s) but you're a queer fellow." — 1828

forms

whiffed · whiffing · whiffs · more whiff · most whiff

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