1
- a smell that is only smelt briefly or faintly一阵（微弱的）气味：
I caught a whiff of peachy perfume.
我闻到一阵桃子似的香味。
1.1
- in sing. Brit. informal an unpleasant smell.〈英, 非正式〉臭味。
1.2
- in sing. an act of sniffing or inhaling, typically so as to determine or savour a scent（尤指为辨别气味而）一吸; 一闻：
one whiff of clothing and Fido was off.
嗅了嗅布料的气味, 然后菲豆就离开了。
1.3
- in sing. a trace or hint of something bad, menacing, or exciting一点点; 些许（坏事、威胁或激动等的迹象或暗示）：
here was a man with a whiff of danger about him.
这里有个人, 他好像有点儿危险。
2
- a puff or breath of air or smoke吸（喷）气; 吸（喷）烟。
3
- N. Amer. informal (chiefly in baseball or golf) an unsuccessful attempt to hit the ball〈北美, 非正式〉（主棒球, 主高尔夫球）挥空棒。
1
- with obj. get a brief or faint smell of嗅, 闻：
he could whiff the slightest reek.
最微弱的臭味他也能闻出。
1.1
- no obj. Brit. informal give off an unpleasant smell〈英, 非正式〉发臭, 有气味。
2
- no obj. N. Amer. informal (chiefly in baseball or golf) try unsuccessfully to hit the ball〈北美, 非正式〉（主棒球, 主高尔夫球）挥空棒。
词源
late 16th cent. （originally in the senses 'gust of wind' and 'inhalation of tobacco smoke'， also， as a verb， 'blow with a slight gust'）： imitative.