be not up to snuff
To not be as good as what is expected, required, or demanded; to not be satisfactory or adequate. Jim, I know you've been going through a tough time since your wife passed, but these reports just aren't up to snuff. I used to eat there all the time, but to be honest, their food hasn't been up to snuff recently. I wouldn't hire that carpenter if I were you. His work at our house was not up to snuff.
bring (something) up to snuff
To make something satisfactory or as good as what is expected, required, or demanded, especially if it previously was not. This is my dream house, so I'll do whatever I can to bring my offer up to snuff. Do they want more money? Better terms? I've been taking night classes to help bring my writing up to snuff. How long do you think it will take to bring the software up to snuff?
not up to scratch
Not acceptable or satisfactory; not as good as what was expected, required, or demanded. Your papers have been very good all semester, but, frankly, this one is not up to scratch. A: "How's your dinner?" B: "It's really not up to scratch with this place's usual standard."
not up to snuff
Not acceptable or satisfactory; not attaining a particular standard. Your papers have been very good all semester, but, frankly, this one is not up to snuff. A: "How's your dinner?" B: "It's really not up to snuff with this place's usual standard."
snuff (one)
slang To kill one. He was planning on going to the police, but the criminals snuffed him before he had the chance. Tragically, he was snuffed in his prime by cancer.
snuff film
A film that shows the actual murder or death of a person. Although snuff films are illegal, they are still widely circulated on the black market. The death scenes were so realistic that the director and producers were actually arrested at one point for making a snuff film.
snuff it
To die, break down, or become defunct. We all snuff it eventually, so we might as well enjoy the time we have. I drove that truck everywhere for 25 years, but it finally snuffed it completely yesterday.
snuff movie
A film that shows the actual murder or death of a person. Although snuff movies are illegal, they are still widely circulated on the black market.
snuff out
1. To extinguish something, especially a flame. A noun or pronoun can be used between "snuff" and "out." She snuffed the flame of the candle out between her fingers. The system uses halon gas to snuff out fire before it has a chance to spread.
2. To put a sudden and conclusive end to something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "snuff" and "out." That loss snuffs out their chances of making it to the playoffs.
3. To kill someone. A noun or pronoun can be used between "snuff" and "out." He was planning on going to the police, but the criminals snuffed him out before he had the chance. Tragically, he was snuffed out in his prime by cancer.
up to par
As good as what was expected, required, or demanded; satisfactory or adequate. A: "How's your dinner?" B: "It's up to par with this place's usual standard." It's nice to see that Jenny's work is up to par again lately.
up to scratch
As good as what was expected, required, or demanded; satisfactory or adequate. "Scratch" in this phrase may refer to the starting line of a race. A: "How's your dinner?" B: "It's up to scratch with this place's usual standard." Jenny, I know you've had a lot going on at home, but these reports just aren't up to scratch. How much money do you think it will take to bring my car up to scratch?
up to snuff
As good as what was expected, required, or demanded; satisfactory or adequate. A: "How's your dinner?" B: "It's up to snuff with this place's usual standard." It's nice to see that Jenny's work is up to snuff again lately.
up to speed
1. Moving at the desired or anticipated pace. Your department just isn't moving up to speed—I mean, this project was supposed be done weeks ago.
2. Well informed about something, especially with the latest details. Bring the new guy up to speed on this case, will you?
up to the mark
Reaching the level of what was expected, required, or demanded; satisfactory or adequate. Often used in the negative to convey the opposite. I know you've got a lot on your plate, but please make sure your next report is up to the mark—we need to have everything ready for the audit. Unfortunately this submission is just not up to the mark, so we'll have to remove it from consideration.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
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.
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.
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.
up to par
Fig. as good as the standard or average; up to standard. I'm just not feeling up to par today. I must be coming down with something. The manager said that the report was not up to par and gave it back to Mary to do over again.
up to snuff
and up to scratchFig. 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.
*up to speed
1. Fig. moving, operating, or funtioning a normal or desired rate. (*Typically: be ~; bring something ~; get ~; get something ~.) Terri did everything she could to bring her workers up to speed, but couldn't. Can we get this production line up to speed?
2. and *up to speed on someone or something Fig. fully apprised about someone or something; up-to-date on the state of someone or something. (*Typically: be ~; bring someone ~; get ~; get someone ~.) Please bring me up to speed on this matter. I'll feel better about it when I get up to speed on what's going on.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
snuff out
1. Extinguish, put a sudden end to, as in Three young lives were snuffed out in that automobile accident. This usage alludes to snuff in the sense of "put out a candle by pinching the wick," an area itself called snuff from the late 1300s on. [Mid-1800s]
2. Kill, murder, as in If he told the police, the gang would snuff him out. [Slang; first half of 1900s]
3. Also, snuff it. Die or be killed, as in He looked very ill indeed, as though he might snuff out any day, or Grandpa just snuffed it. [Slang; second half of 1800s]
up to par
Also, up to scratch or snuff or speed or the mark . Satisfactory, up to a given standard, as in She didn't feel up to par today so she stayed home, or I'm sure he'll come up to scratch when the time comes, or She's up to snuff again. Nearly all the versions of this idiom come from sports, par from golf, scratch and mark from boxing (after being knocked down a fighter had eight seconds to make his way to a mark scratched in the center of the ring), and speed from racing. However, the allusion in the variant with snuff, which dates from the early 1800s, has been lost.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
up to the mark
If something is up to the mark, it is of a standard that is good enough and if someone is up to the mark, they are working to a standard that is good enough. Put simply, his work wasn't up to the mark. Ongoing training is required to keep teachers up to the mark. Note: The `mark' in this expression is a hallmark, which is an official symbol put on gold and silver items that reach a particular standard.
not up to scratch
COMMON If something or someone is not up to scratch, they are not good enough. If the service isn't up to scratch, the customer gets his money back. Athletes have no one to blame but themselves if their performances are not up to scratch. Parents were complaining that one of the teachers wasn't up to scratch. Note: You can say that someone or something does not come up to scratch. The Home Secretary wants better methods for dealing with police officers who do not come up to scratch. Note: You can also say that you bring someone or something up to scratch. We had to work hard on the apartment to bring it up to scratch. Note: In the past, boxers started a fight with their left feet on a line drawn on the ground, known as the scratch. When a boxer was knocked down, they were allowed thirty seconds' rest before coming `up to the scratch' once more. A boxer who was not at the line in time lost the fight.
up to snuff
BRITISH, OLD-FASHIONEDIf something or someone is up to snuff, they are as good as they should be or as they normally are. The technology in these companies simply isn't up to snuff. Note: You can also say that you bring or get someone or something up to snuff or that someone or something comes up to snuff. The hamburgers didn't come up to snuff.
up to speed
1. If you are up to speed, you have all the latest information about something. Once I'm up to speed with the latest issues, I'll get to work on the report. We try to keep people entertained and up to speed with what's going on in town. Note: You can say that you bring someone up to speed, meaning that you give them all the latest information about something. I guess I should bring you up to speed on what's been happening since I came to see you yesterday. Note: You can also say that you get up to speed, meaning that you reach the point where you have all the latest information about something. The president has been getting up to speed on foreign policy.
2. If something is up to speed, it is at its highest level of efficiency. Several issues need to be resolved before the city's online services are up to speed. Note: You can say that you bring something up to speed, meaning that you cause it to be working at its highest level of efficiency. The fear is that the system will not be cheap to bring up to speed. Note: You can also say that something gets or comes up to speed, meaning that it reaches its highest level of efficiency. It is time the scheme got up to speed. Protected industries would have time to come up to speed before being exposed to market forces.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
up to the mark
1 of the required standard. 2 (of a person) as healthy or cheerful as usual.up to par
at an expected or usual level or quality. 1989 Randall Kenan A Visitation of Spirits Why not him? Did he not look okay? Did he smell bad? Have bad breath? Were his clothes not up to par?
up to scratch
up to the required standard; satisfactory.up to snuff
1 up to the required standard. 2 in good health. informalup to speed
1 operating at full speed. 2 (of a person or company) performing at an anticipated rate or level. 3 (of a person) fully informed or up to date. informal 2 1998 Times Magazine Penati advises on menus and drops in occasionally to check that everything is up to speed.
3 1998 New Scientist It's well known to anyone who is up to speed with e-mail.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
ˌup to the ˈmark
as good as it/they should be: His English and history are very good, but his maths is not really up to the mark. ♢ I don’t think we should promote her. She’s just not up to the mark.up to ˈscratch
at the good standard that is expected or needed: The level of safety in our power stations must be brought up to scratch. ♢ If he doesn’t come up to scratch, get rid of him.This expression comes from boxing: the line in the ring which the boxers have to come to when they start to fight is called the scratch.ˈsnuff it
(British English, slang, humorous) die: Old Jack was over 90 when he snuffed it. up to ˈsnuff
(informal) of the required standard or quality; in good health: Many people believe that the new senator is not up to snuff politically. ♢ I haven’t felt up to snuff for several weeks.up to ˈspeed (on something)
1 (of a person, company, etc.) performing at an expected rate or level: the cost of bringing the chosen schools up to speed
2 (of a person) having the most recent and accurate information or knowledge: I’ll bring you up to speed on the latest developments.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
snuff out
v.1. To extinguish something: The altar server snuffed out the candles. I saw her snuff a match out with her fingers.
2. To put a sudden end to something: The war has snuffed out many young lives. I had a promising career as a dancer, but a tragic injury snuffed it out.
3. Slang To kill someone; murder someone: The police accused the widow of snuffing out her husband. The gangsters snuffed him out before he could testify in court.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
snuff film
n. a film that records an actual death or killing. Some of these snuff films have a loyal following of real sickies.
snuff it
tv. to die. The cat leapt straight up in the air and snuffed it.
snuff someone (out)
tv. to kill someone. Max really wanted to snuff the eyewitness out, once and for all.
snuff someone
verbup to scratch
and up to snuff mod. satisfactory; up to what is expected. (Colloquial. Snuff is related in some way to tobacco. Scratch may allude to the starting or finish line in a contest.) We felt that the entertainment was not up to scratch. The food was up to snuff, but the hotel staff was not at its usually efficient best.
up to snuff
verbMcGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
up to scratch
Informal 1. Meeting the requirements.
2. In fit condition.
up to snuff
Informal 1. Normal in health.
2. Up to standard; adequate.
up to speed
1. a. Operating at maximum speed.
b. Producing something or performing at an acceptable rate or level.
2. Informal Fully informed; conversant: I'm not up to speed on these issues yet.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
up to snuff
Satisfactory in performance, health, or some other respect. This term, which probably has something to do with the once popular habit of taking snuff, dates from at least 1800, but its origin has been lost. “He knows well enough the game we’re after; zooks he’s up to snuff,” wrote John Poole in his play Hamlet Travestie (1811), meaning that the character was wide awake and sharp. “Up to snuff, and a pinch or two over,” wrote Dickens (Pickwick Papers, 1836), meaning that something was more than satisfactory. Along with the use of snuff, the term may be dying out.
up to speed
Attaining an adequate level of performance. This term, from the first half of the 1900s, originally referred to automobile racing and meant achieving full speed at the beginning of a race or after a fueling stop. In time its meaning was extended to other activities, as in “He’s just a beginner at writing programs, but he’ll soon be up to speed.”
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer
up to scratch
Meets the standards. In the days of bare-knuckle fighting, bouts took place within a large circle drawn on the bare ground (that's where the phrase “boxing ring” came from). The contest began with the fighters facing off while standing on either side of a line scratched on the dirt in the middle of the ring. A fighter who was physically and mentally ready to take part stood at the line and was, therefore, up to scratch. “Up to snuff ” has much the same meaning. Powdered tobacco was said to sharpen the user's mind, so if you were up to snuff, you were mentally and also physically ready to go.
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price Copyright © 2011 by Steven D. Price