snuff (redirected from snuffing)

not up to scratch and not up to snuff

Fig. not adequate. Sorry, your paper isn't up to scratch. Please do it over again. The performance was not up to snuff.

See also: and, scratch, up

snuff someone out

Sl. to kill someone. Max really wanted to snuff the eyewiteness out, once and for all. Lefty wanted to snuff out his partner.

See also: out

snuff something out

to extinguish something, such as a flame. she snuffed all the candles out and went to bed. Karen snuffed out the flames one by one.

See also: out

up to snuff and up to scratch

Fig. as good as is required; meeting the minimum requirements. Sorry, Tom. Your performance isn't up to snuff. You'll have to improve or find another job. My paper wasn't up to scratch, so I got an F.

See also: up

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a snuff movie

a film that is intended to be sexually exciting which shows a person being murdered In May '92 he was arrested and charged with importing snuff movies into the country.

up to snuff

if someone or something is up to snuff, they are of an acceptable standard or quality (often negative) Their wine-list is very good but I'm afraid the food isn't really up to snuff. The police force is replacing its older patrol cars to make sure they all come up to snuff. We have spent a tremendous amount of money bringing the department up to snuff.

See also: up

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snuff out something also snuff something out

to put an end to something The bomber triggered his explosion and snuffed out the lives of 167 innocent people in that building. Before he could reach the top in his career, a scandal almost snuffed it out.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of snuff out (to stop a flame from burning)

See also: out

up to snuff

at or to an acceptable level of quality We have a part in designing and manufacturing products and then checking to make sure they're up to snuff. Utah's bridges are in trouble, and it would cost $88 million to bring the worst cases up to snuff.

Usage notes: often used in the negative: Earnings weren't up to snuff in the last quarter.

See also: up