- whiff (of something)
a smell, especially one that you only smell for a short time 一点儿气味；一股气味 Extra ExamplesI caught the whiff of Scotch on his breath. 从他的呼吸中我闻到苏格兰威士忌酒的味道。 She took a deep whiff of his aftershave. 她深吸了一口气，闻他须后水的味道。 He caught a whiff of her perfume as she passed. 她经过时，他闻到了一股香水味。 She can't bear the slightest whiff of tobacco smoke. 她一点点烟草味都不能忍受。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- faint
- slight
- strong
- …
- catch
- detect
- get
- …
- whiff of
- at the faintest whiff of something
- at the first whiff of something
- at the merest whiff of something
- …
- whiff (of something)
a slight sign or feeling of something 轻微的迹象（或感觉）；一点点；些许 a whiff of danger 一点点危险
Extra ExamplesThe unmistakable whiff of electoral blackmail could be detected. 能够发觉选举中确定无疑存在讹诈的蛛丝马迹。 The proposal had the whiff of a hoax about it. 这个建议有些许哄骗人的味道。 Journalists caught a whiff of scandal and pursued the actress relentlessly. 记者抓到了丑闻的一点儿线索，于是对这个女演员穷追不舍。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- faint
- slight
- strong
- …
- catch
- detect
- get
- …
- whiff of
- at the faintest whiff of something
- at the first whiff of something
- at the merest whiff of something
- …
- (North American English)
(in golf or baseball 高尔夫球或棒球 an unsuccessful attempt to hit the ball 挥空棒（击球未中）
Word Originlate 16th cent. (originally in the senses ‘gust of wind’ and ‘inhalation of tobacco smoke’, also, as a verb, ‘blow with a slight gust’): imitative.