sniff

Related to sniff: Sniff Test

have a (good) sniff around

To investigate or examine a place or area to look for something or gather information. Please tell me that the cops won't find any incriminating evidence if they have a sniff around your office. I had a good sniff around outside, but I didn't see your watch anywhere.
See also: around, have, sniff

not get a sniff of (something)

1. To not get even the smallest inclination or amount of information about something. Make sure you don't let the boss get a sniff of what you're trying to do, or you'll get fired so fast your head will spin! A: "Detective Matheson, have you gotten any leads about this supposed drug deal going down tomorrow night?" B: "No, sir, I haven't gotten a sniff of anything happening tomorrow."
2. To not get even the smallest portion or sample of something desirable. Health insurance, a company phone, and a pension plan? Man, I didn't get a sniff of benefits like those when I was working for that company. He didn't patent the design, so when it went on to make millions of dollars, he didn't get a sniff of that money.
See also: get, not, of, sniff

not to be sneezed at

To not be something that should be ignored, passed over, dismissed, or treated with disdain; to not be trivial or inconsequential. We may not have won the game, but we scored enough points and caused enough damage to let everyone know we aren't to be sneezed at. Sure, a hundred bucks isn't a huge amount to win in a lottery, but it's still not to be sneezed at!
See also: not, sneeze

not to be sniffed at

To not be something that should be ignored, passed over, dismissed, or treated with disdain; to not be trivial or inconsequential. We may not have won the game, but we scored enough points and caused enough damage to let everyone know we aren't to be sniffed at. Sure, a hundred bucks isn't a huge amount to win in a lottery, but it's still not to be sniffed at!
See also: not, sniff

nothing to be sniffed at

Not something that should be ignored, dismissed, or treated with disdain; something that is not inconsequential. The amount of votes she managed to muster is nothing to be sniffed at. Sure, a hundred bucks isn't a huge amount to have won, but it's definitely nothing to be sniffed at!
See also: nothing, sniff

nothing to sniff at

Not something that should be ignored, dismissed, or treated with disdain; something that is not inconsequential. The amount of votes she managed to muster is nothing to sniff at. Sure, a hundred bucks isn't a huge amount to have won, but it's definitely nothing to sniff at!
See also: nothing, sniff

sniff about (something or some place)

To investigate, search through, or inquire impertinently into something or some place. Please tell me that the cops won't find any incriminating evidence if they start sniffing about your office. Sarah's been sniffing about, lately—I think she's starting to suspect me.
See also: sniff

sniff around

To investigate, search through, or inquire impertinently into something or some place. Please tell me that the cops won't find any incriminating evidence if they start sniffing around your office. Sarah's been sniffing around, lately—I think she's starting to suspect me. I started sniffing around the senator's campaign records and discovered a vast conspiracy of fraud and embezzlement.
See also: around, sniff

sniff at (someone or something).

To dismiss or belittle someone or something as being not worthwhile, important, or valuable. Sure, a hundred bucks isn't a huge amount to win, but it's definitely nothing to sniff at! The CEO just sniffed at the deal presented by the rival corporation.
See also: sniff

sniff out

1. Literally, to locate someone or something using one's sense of smell. Almost exclusively said of dogs. A noun or pronoun can be used between "sniff" and "out." We've sent a pack of dogs to sniff the fugitive out. The police use specially trained dogs to sniff out drugs and bombs.
2. By extension, to uncover, reveal, or expose someone or something through some form of investigation. A noun or pronoun can be used between "sniff" and "out." If the company is up to anything fishy, the auditor will sniff it out. Our lead investigative journalist sniffed out the politician leaking information to foreign intelligence agents.
See also: out, sniff

sniff test

1. The act of questioning the viability of an idea or course of action. Josh thinks he has a solid plan, but it doesn't pass the sniff test for me—I don't see how it will be profitable.
2. In medicine, a test of the phrenic nerve in which the patient must sniff forcefully. Next, we're going to do a sniff test so that I can see exactly how your phrenic nerve is functioning.
3. In medicine, a way to recognize bacterial vaginosis (which presents with a fishlike odor). I've only done a sniff test so far, but I think that patient has bacterial vaginosis.
4. The act of smelling something to determine whether or not it has a fresh odor. These leftovers pass the sniff test, so I'll heat them up for lunch. You can't wear that shirt again without washing it—it definitely doesn't pass the sniff test!
See also: sniff, test
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

sniff at someone or something

 
1. Lit. to try to get the smell of someone or something by smelling. The dog sniffed at the visitor. The cat sniffed at almost every inch of the rug that the dog had walked on.
2. Fig. to show one's disapproval of someone or something by sniffing. (Sometimes this is figurative, the "sniffing" being expressed by tone of voice or gesture.) I made one suggestion, but Claire just sniffed at me. Gale just sniffed at the idea and would say nothing.
See also: sniff

sniff someone or something out

to locate someone or something by sniffing or as if by sniffing. The dog sniffed the intruder out and the police captured him. The dog sniffed out the mole in the lawn.
See also: out, sniff
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

not to be sneezed at

Also, nothing to sneeze at. Not to be ignored or dismissed, as in It's a great honor, not to be sneezed at, or That salary of his is nothing to sneeze at. This expression presumably alludes to turning up one's nose in disdain. [c. 1800]
See also: not, sneeze

sniff out

Uncover, as If there's anything to that rumor, Gladys will sniff it out. This expression alludes to an animal sniffing for prey. [First half of 1900s]
See also: out, sniff
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

not to be sneezed at

or

not to be sniffed at

INFORMAL
If something is not to be sneezed at or not to be sniffed at, it is worth having. The money's not to be sneezed at. At least she had somewhere to live and a job — both temporary, but not to be sniffed at.
See also: not, sneeze
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

not to be sneezed at

not to be rejected without careful consideration; worth having or taking into account. informal
See also: not, sneeze
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

not to be ˈsneezed/ˈsniffed at

(informal) important or worth having: If I were you, I’d take the job. A salary like that’s not to be sneezed at.
See also: not, sneeze, sniff

have a (good) ˌsniff aˈround

examine a place carefully: Come and visit our website and have a sniff around!
This refers to the way that a dog sniffs (= smells) something in order to find out more about it.
See also: around, have, sniff

not get a ˈsniff of something

(informal) not succeed in obtaining something: I worked in Hollywood for years, but I never got a sniff of the big money.
See also: get, not, of, sniff, something
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

sniff around

v.
To pry; snoop: The reporters came sniffing around for more details. The detectives sniffed around the basement for clues. The guard caught them sniffing around in the room where the files are kept.
See also: around, sniff

sniff at

v.
1. To use the sense of smell to investigate something: I sniffed at the jar to see what it held.
2. To regard someone or something in a contemptuous or dismissive manner: The critics sniffed at the film, even though it was very popular. The amount of funds we've managed to raise in a week is nothing to sniff at.
See also: sniff

sniff out

v.
To perceive or detect someone or something by or as if by sniffing: The dogs sniffed out the trail through the snow. The detectives sniffed the plot out and arrested the criminals.
See also: out, sniff
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

sniff

n. a drink of liquor. (see also snort.) I’d like just a sniff of that Scotch.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

not to be sneezed at

Not to be dismissed. This term, which presumably comes from turning up one’s nose at something to express contempt, was already current in the early nineteenth century. “As I am situated, £300 or £400 a year is not to be sneezed at” (Sir Walter Scott, letter, 1813).
See also: not, sneeze
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • have a sniff around
  • have a (good) sniff around
  • have a poke around
  • poke about
  • poke around
  • sniff about (something or some place)
  • sniff around
  • snoop
  • snoop about (something or some place)
  • snoop around
References in periodicals archive
The police had the apartment building owner's permission to be in the hallway and Edstrom conceded that they had a reasonable, articulable suspicion of criminal activity when they conducted the narcotics-dog sniff, the court concluded.
Justices OK dog-sniff without warrant
no"of whH "O " Hana Lewis, of Film Hub Wales, said: "Our team, partners and audiences are all immensely excited about the arrival of Matilda Scratch 'n Sniff as part of the official Roald Dahl on Film season.
Smelly vision; SCRATCH 'N SNIFF SCREENINGS OF ROALD DAHL'S CLASSIC MATILDA
As we can see, in traditional network, complete communication data from source host to destination host can be sniffed on some nodes (e.g., nodes 6, 11, and 12), which means that attackers can sniff complete data on any of the nodes and further data analysis is possible.
SDN-Based Double Hopping Communication against Sniffer Attack
The passing crowds can't help but turn their heads when passing Sniff, who is projected onto the window of what will soon become the cinema's new cafe bar.
Digital dog proves a hit with old and young
To learn more about Sniff K9s or to contact them to discuss potential ownership options, visit http://www.franchisesolutions.com/franchise/Sniff-K9s.cfm.
Franchise Solutions Partners with Sniff K9s to Expand Franchise Locations
If he's like my dog though, he'll sniff it a couple of times then eat the side without cinnamon first.
A dog's nose, knows
A smaller team are trained to sniff out explosives and others will be trained to sniff out people carrying explosives.
SNIFFING OUT THE BAD GUYS
Then he had female volunteers sniff the sweaty secretions without telling them what they were.
Smells like love: can your nose lead you to your Valentine?
The dog sniff that caught Caballes is just one crude, old-fashioned example of the search technologies available to law enforcement.
The pinpoint search: how super-accurate surveillance technology threatens our privacy
Very few teenagers who walk about at night engage in petrol sniffing or spend time with petrol sniffers, but there is a defined subset of the "walkin' about" teenagers who sniff petrol.
"Stuck nose": experiences and understanding of petrol sniffing in a remote Aboriginal community
Set your network to use Wired Equivalent Privacy or even stronger Wi-Fi Protected Access encryption, which encodes every transmission on the network, making it harder for hackers to "sniff" the data as it goes by.
The hidden downside of wireless networking: Wi-Fi can cause big trouble--and you may not even know it. Here's how to keep the hackers at bay
But dog trainers in the private sector say that using dogs to sniff out suicide bombers is feasible.
Setting the dogs on suicide bombers
Accordingly, the only remaining question for the Court was whether the dog sniff itself was a separate search requiring additional justification to be valid under the Fourth Amendment.
Court sniffs at dog-search concerns
Here's how to sniff your way to a new signature scent.
Pick your potion: making sense out of scents
ANCHOR BAY ENTERTAINMENT IS BRINGING HOWIE MANDEL'S EMMY-NOMINATED TELEVISION SHOW, "BOBBY'S WORLD," TO DVD WITH THE RELEASE OF "BOBBY'S WORLD: CLASSIC SCRATCH 'N' SNIFF EPISODES." CREATOR MANDEL SELECTED FIVE OF HIS FAVORITE EPISODES FROM THE SHOW FOR THE DVD.
Scratch 'n sniff