whiff
nounEtymology
The noun is possibly: * partly a variant of Middle English wef, weffe (“bad smell, stench, stink; exhalation; vapour; tendency of something to go bad (?)”) [and other forms], possibly a variant of either: ** waf, waif, waife (“odour, scent”), possibly from waven (“to move to and fro, sway, wave; to stray, wander; to move in a weaving manner; (figuratively) to hesitate, vacillate”), from Old English wafian (“to wave”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *webʰ- (“to braid, weave”); or ** wef (“a blow, stroke”), from weven (“to travel, wander; to move to and fro, flutter, waver; to blow something away, waft; to cause something to move; to fall; to cut deeply; to sever; to give up, yield; to give deference to; to avoid; to afflict, trouble; to beckon, signal”); further etymology uncertain, perhaps from Old English wefan (“to weave”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *webʰ- (“to braid, weave”)), or from wǣfan (see bewǣfan, ymbwǣfan); and * partly onomatopoeic. Noun sense 6 (“name of a number of flatfish”) is possibly derived from sense 1 (“brief, gentle breeze; a light gust of air”), sense 4 (“small quantity of cloud, smoke, vapour, etc.”), and other such senses. The verb and adjective are derived from the noun. Verb sense 2.6 (“to catch fish by dragging a handline near the surface of the water from a moving boat”) is possibly derived from sense 1.1 (“to carry or convey (something) by, or as by, a whiff or puff of air”), sense 2.2 (“to be carried, or move as if carried, by a puff of air”), and other such senses. The interjection is derived from noun sense 7.4 (“a sound like that of air passing through a small opening; a short or soft whistle”).
- inherited from wef
Definitions
A brief, gentle breeze
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.
- Now as the VVinde, buffing vpon a Hill / VVith roaring breath againſt a ready Mill, / VVhirls vvith a vvhiff the ſails of ſvvelling clout, / The ſails doo ſvving the vvinged ſhaft about.
- Their Enſignes ſhine, and Dragons fell that therein pictur'd ſhow, / VVave to and fro vvith vvhiffes of vvind, as it doth gently blovv.
A short inhalation or exhalation of breath, especially when accompanied by smoke from a…
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.
An odour (usually unpleasant) carried briefly through the air.
- And then, ſo nice, and ſo genteel; / Such Cleanlineſs from Head to Heel: / No Humours groſs, or frowzy Steams, / No noiſom Whiffs, or ſweaty Streams, / Before, behind, above, below, / Could from her taintleſs Body flow.
- [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.
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A small quantity of cloud, smoke, vapour, etc.
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.
- The Hispaniola rolled steadily, dipping her bowsprit now and then with a whiff of spray.
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.
Any of a number of flatfish such as (dated) the lemon sole (Microstomus kitt) and now,…
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 slight sign of something
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— […]
A slight attack or touch.
A characteristic quality of something
A characteristic quality of something; a flavour, a savour, a taste.
A sound like that of air passing through a small opening
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, […]
A failure to hit a ball in various sports (for example, golf)
A failure to hit a ball in various sports (for example, golf); a miss.
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.
An outrigged boat for one person propelled by oar.
A sip of an alcoholic beverage.
- I will yet go drink one whiffe more and if in the meane time any thing befall you that may require my presence, I will be so near to you, that, at the first whistling in your fist, I shall be with you forthwith: […]
To carry or convey (something) by, or as by, a whiff or puff of air
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!
- The assemblage rose, whiffed ceremony to the winds, and rushed for the door like a mob; […]
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.
- They crossed themselves, and whiffed out a protective prayer or two.
To inhale or exhale (smoke from tobacco, etc.) from a cigarette, pipe, or other smoking…
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?
- […] Richard, knowing his retainer's zest for conspiracy too well to seek him anywhere but in the part most favoured with shelter and concealment, found him furtively whiffing tobacco.
- There was silence as they [the Shawnees] whiffed at the council pipes. Then a tall chief arose and glanced at the handful of whites and at his own three hundred along the walls of the council house.
To breathe in or sniff (an odour)
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: […]
To shoot (someone) with a firearm
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.
- You shot Geiger to get it. Last night in the rain. It was dandy shooting weather. The trouble is he wasn't alone when you whiffed him. Either you didn't notice that, which seems unlikely, or you got the wind up and lammed.
Of a pitcher
Of a pitcher: to strike out (a batter); to fan.
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; […]
- And when Gargantua whiffed the great draught, they thought to have been drowned in his mouth, and the flood of wine had almost carried them away into the gulf of his stomack.
To move in a way that causes a light gust of air, or a whistling sound.
To be carried, or move as if carried, by a puff of air
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.
To smoke a cigarette, pipe, or other smoking implement.
- Morrow Captaine Tucca, vvill you vvhiffe this morning?
To smell
To smell; to sniff.
To give off or have an unpleasant smell
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!
- The second trauma was sharing a boat with all the foreigners who were beginning to whiff somewhat and had things crawling out of their beards, having spent days on end reaching the ferry on their bikes.
Especially in baseball or golf
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.
To fail spectacularly.
In fighting games, to execute a move that fails to hit the opponent.
To catch fish by dragging a handline near the surface of the water from a moving boat.
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.
Used to indicate a sound like that of air passing through a small opening, that is, a…
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."
- But yonder, whiff! there comes a sudden heat, / The gravest citizen seems to lose his head, […]
The neighborhood
Vish — recursive loop
No curated loop yet for whiff. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA