snuff¹ / snəf/ • v. [tr.] extinguish (a candle): a breeze snuffed out the candle. ∎ inf. put an end to (something) in a brutal manner: his life was snuffed out by a sniper's bullet. ∎ inf. kill: I lost track of the number of people he snuffed who were wearing bulletproof fabric. ∎  (snuff it) Brit., inf. die. ∎ dated trim the charred wick from (a candle).• n. the charred part of a candle wick.snuff² • n. powdered tobacco that is sniffed up the nostril rather than smoked: a pinch of snuff.• v. [tr.] inhale or sniff at (something): they stood snuffing up the keen cold air. ∎  [intr.] archaic sniff up powdered tobacco.PHRASES: up to snuff inf. 1. meeting the required standard: they need a million dollars to get their facilities up to snuff. ∎  in good health: he hadn't felt up to snuff all summer.2. Brit., archaic not easily deceived; knowing: an up-to-snuff old vagabond.

snuff2 powdered tobacco for inhaling through the nostrils. XVII. — Du. snuf, prob. short for snuftabak, f. MDu. snuffen snuffle, whence Eng. snuff (XVI) inhale through the nostrils.

snuff1 portion of candle-wick partly consumed. XIV. of unkn. orig.
Hence snuff vb. remove the snuff from XV; extinguish XVII (sl. intr. with out, die XIX).