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   whiff

   /wɪf/

   noun

   • 1. a smell that is only smelt briefly or faintly: "I caught a whiff of eau de cologne" Similar faint smellbrief smelltracesniffscentodouraroma
   • ▪ an unpleasant smell. informal British Similar stenchstinkfoul smellreekfetidnesseffluviummiasmainformal:pongniffhumrhyming slang:pen and inkinformal:gufffunkrare:fetormalodourmephitisnoisomeness
   • ▪ an act of sniffing or inhaling: "I found my inhaler and took a deep whiff"
   • ▪ a trace or hint of something bad, menacing, or exciting: "there had been a whiff of financial scandal in the past" Similar tracehintnotesuggestionimpressionsuspicionsoupçontouchnuanceintimationtrifledropdashtingetincturestreakveinshredcrumbshadowbreathwhisperairsavourflavourelementovertonescintillajotbitspotspeckiotainformal:smidgentad
   • 2. a puff or breath of air or smoke: "whiffs of smoke emerged from the boiler" Similar puffgustblastrushflurrygalebreathdraughtwaft
   • 3. (chiefly in baseball or golf) an unsuccessful attempt to hit the ball. informal North American

   verb

   • 1. get a brief or faint smell of: "he whiffed the broth that was simmering on the stove"
   • ▪ give off an unpleasant smell: informal British "she whiffed of nicotine"
   • 2. (chiefly in baseball or golf) try unsuccessfully to hit the ball. informal North American

   Word Origin late 16th century (originally in the senses ‘gust of wind’ and ‘inhalation of tobacco smoke’, also, as a verb, ‘blow with a slight gust’): imitative.

   Scrabble Points: 17

   • W

     4

   • H

     4

   • I

     1

   • F

     4

   • F

     4

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