whiff
This term evokes a sense of fleetingness and incompleteness. When referring to scent, it describes a momentary encounter rather than a sustained aroma, suggesting a sudden, sharp sensory trigger that vanishes quickly. In a figurative sense, it denotes a subtle intuition or a lingering suspicion that is not yet fully proven. In sports, specifically baseball, it carries a negative connotation of total failure, representing the empty air where the ball should have been.
Meanings
A brief, passing smell of something.
"I caught a whiff of garlic as I walked past the kitchen."
A slight trace or hint of something, such as a feeling or a suspicion.
"There was a whiff of scandal surrounding the politician's sudden resignation."
A short, quick movement of air or a sudden gust of wind.
"A cold whiff of air entered the room when the door opened."
A failed attempt to hit a ball in sports, particularly baseball.
"The batter swung hard but ended up with a whiff."