sniff

renifler, humer

Inspirer brièvement par le nez, souvent pour sentir quelque chose ou parce qu’on est enrhumé.

En anglais simple : To take a short breath through your nose, often to smell something or because you have a cold.

• The dog sniffed my shoes.
• She sniffed the milk to check it.
• He kept sniffing because he had a cold.

Comment l'utiliser : sniff at something (The puppy sniffed at the unfamiliar food.)

Synonymes : smell

Expressions courantes : sniff something, sniff the air, sniff at something

dédaigner, mépriser

Traiter quelque chose comme peu important ou indigne d’être accepté.

En anglais simple : To treat something as unimportant or not worth accepting.

• Do not sniff at their offer.
• She sniffed at the idea of taking the bus.
• A free holiday is nothing to sniff at.

Comment l'utiliser : sniff at something (He sniffed at the modest reward.); nothing to sniff at (An extra hundred pounds is nothing to sniff at.)

Synonymes : dismiss, scorn

Expressions courantes : sniff at something, sniff at an offer

dire en reniflant

Dire quelque chose en reniflant, pour exprimer de la tristesse ou du déplaisir.

En anglais simple : To say something while breathing sharply through your nose, showing sadness or dislike.

• “I miss him,” she sniffed.
• “That is hardly impressive,” he sniffed.
• The upset child sniffed that nobody liked her.

Comment l'utiliser : sniff that… (She sniffed that she wanted to go home.)

Synonymes : say tearfully

Expressions courantes : sniff a reply, sniff in disgust

reniflement

Courte inspiration par le nez, souvent pour sentir quelque chose.

En anglais simple : A short breath taken through the nose, often to smell something.

• Give the milk a sniff.
• The dog took a sniff of my bag.
• I heard a loud sniff behind me.

Comment l'utiliser : sniff of something (She took a quick sniff of the perfume.)

Synonymes : snuffle

Expressions courantes : a quick sniff, give something a sniff, a loud sniff