Where does “besnuff” come from?

besnuff (English) comes from English Be, from Middle English be, from Old English bēo, from Proto-West Germanic *bijā, from Proto-Germanic bijō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰī- — to hit, to pierce.

besnuff (English): To befoul with snuff

Definitions

  1. To befoul with snuff

Ancestry of “besnuff”, step by step

besnuff traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Be

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishBeAs an auxiliary verb
2Middle EnglishbeAlternative form of been; Alternative form of...
3Old EnglishbēoI become, I will be, I am; bee
4Proto-West Germanic*bijābee
5Proto-Germanicbijōbee
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰī-to hit, to pierce

via English snuff

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsnuffFinely ground or pulverized tobacco intended for...
2Dutchsnufsmell, odor; snuff, sniffle
3Dutchsnuffento snuff
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰī- →Every word from Proto-Germanic bijō →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *bijā →