Past tense of snuff, meaning to extinguish (a flame or light) or to kill someone. Also means to inhale or sniff something forcefully.
From Middle English snoffen, related to Dutch snuffen meaning 'to sniff'. The sense of extinguishing comes from the action of pinching out a candle wick. The slang meaning 'to kill' developed in the 20th century from the idea of extinguishing life.
The phrase 'snuff film' (depicting real murder) created such cultural impact that most people now associate this word primarily with death, even though its original meaning was simply about putting out candles. Interestingly, snuff tobacco gets its name from the same root - it's literally something you 'sniff up' your nose.
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