snifter en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈsnɪftə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈsnɪftəɹ/ (General-American)
Etymology
The verb is derived from Middle English snifteren, snifter, snyfter (“to sniffle”), possibly from *snift (possibly derived from an Old Norse word—compare Old Danish snifte and Swedish snyfta (“to sniffle; to sob”); probably ultimately imitative) + -er- (frequentative suffix) + -en (suffix forming the infinitive of verbs). The noun is derived from the verb.
Meanings
- (Northern-England, Scotland) A sniff.
- (Northern-England, Scotland, figuratively) A strong or severe wind.
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(figuratively) A small, wide, pear-shaped glass used for drinking aromatic liquors such as bourbon and brandy.
[H]e springs to another wooden vat and turns a valve, filling a snifter with a warm amber liquid. […] Bang holds the liquid up to the light, swirls it around, takes a sniff of the pungent bouquet, puts the glass to his lips—and gives a satisfied smile.
2003 January 20, “Getting Saucy”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 03 Nov 2012:
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(figuratively, informal) Synonym of nip (“a small amount of an alcoholic beverage, especially one equivalent to what a snifter (noun sense 2.2) might hold”)
And now, old horse, you may lead me across the street to the Coal Hole for a short snifter.
1923 June, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, “The Début of Battling Billson”, in Ukridge, London: Herbert Jenkins […], published 3 June 1924, →OCLC, page 56:"Sit down, bo," invited Soup Face. "I guess you're a regular all right. Here, have a snifter?" and he pulled a flask from his side pocket, holding it toward The Oskaloosa Kid.
1917 (date written), Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Oakdale Affair”, in The Blue Book Magazine, Chicago, Ill.: Story-press Corp., published March 1918, →OCLC; republished Doylestown, Pa.: Wildside Press, 2003, →ISBN, page 21:
- (US, figuratively, slang) Synonym of cocaine addict; a sniffer.
- (US, figuratively, slang) A small amount of cocaine taken by inhaling through the nose.
- (US, figuratively, slang) A handheld device used to detect signals from radio transmitters; a sniffer.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| snifters | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
snifters · brandy snifter · snifter valve
Synonyms
whiskey glass · nip · brandy bowl · cocaine addict · brandy glass · cognac glass · brandy snifter
Translations (30)
sv konjakskupa (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · ja テイスティンググラス (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · fr pipe à cognac (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · he כוס ברנדי סניפטר (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · cv черкке (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · de Kognakglas (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · it napoleone (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · de Kognakschwenker (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · pl kieliszek (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · fi aromilasi (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · ja スニフター (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · ja スニフターグラス (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · pl kreska (small amount of cocaine taken by inhaling through the nose) · it snifter (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · fi annos (small amount of cocaine taken by inhaling through the nose) · uk ча́рка (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · hy ըմպանակ (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · tr brendi bardağı (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · ja ブランデーグラス (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · es coñaquera (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · de Nosing-Glas (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · ru рю́мка (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · es copa de coñac (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · es copa balón (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · uz ryumka (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · fr ballon (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · bg чаша за коняк (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · es copa de brandy (small, wide, pear-shaped glass) · bg линийка (small amount of cocaine taken by inhaling through the nose) · fr verre à cognac (small, wide, pear-shaped glass)