[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/whiff/)

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# whiff

noun (a whiff, whiffs); verb (whiff, whiffs, whiffed, whiffing)

«whiff» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (noun) A short smell, often brief or faint: «a whiff of smoke». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#m1)
2. (noun) A slight sign or hint of something: «a whiff of danger». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#m2)
3. (verb, UK informal) To smell bad: «Your trainers whiff!» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#m3)
4. (US, sport) To swing at a ball and miss it completely. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#m4)
5. A whiff can also be a sudden, short puff of wind or breath. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#m5)

### In the lessons

In stories a whiff warns or tempts — a whiff of smoke means fire, a whiff of cooking means dinner is near. In safety lessons a whiff of gas or smoke means tell an adult and get out. Phrases: «catch a whiff of», «get a whiff of», «a whiff of scandal».

### Examples

- I caught a whiff of fresh bread from the bakery. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#x1)
- There's a whiff of smoke — tell an adult now! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#x2)
- Your football socks really whiff! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#x3)
- The dog got a whiff of the fox and ran off. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#x4)
- A whiff of danger made the explorers stop. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#x5)
- Mole caught a whiff of his old home and longed to go back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#x6)
- The batter whiffed the ball and was out. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#x7)
- Just then a whiff of wind came rushing by and pressed together the broken edges. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/#x8)

### Note

Countable noun; plural «whiffs». Past form of verb «whiffed». Adjective «whiffy» (UK informal: smelly). A whiff is short and slight, not a strong lasting smell. If you smell gas at home, leave and call the emergency gas number.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «whiff» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/W/whiff/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«whiff» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/whiff.html) on Mova free.