PhrasesHub

Up to snuff

    Definitions

      • meeting a certain standard or expectation
        To describe something or someone as being of an acceptable or satisfactory quality

      • alert and aware
        To describe someone as being mentally sharp and attentive

    Examples of Up to snuff

    • The new barista at the coffee shop is still finding her groove, but I have confidence that she'll get up to snuff with a little more practice.

      This idiom refers to meeting a certain standard or level of competency. When someone says that someone else is "up to snuff," they mean that the person is meeting the expectations of the situation. In this example, the new barista is not yet meeting the high standards of the coffee shop, but the speaker believes that she will improve and meet those standards with practice.

    • The company's financial report looked a little weak, but I'm hopeful that next quarter's numbers will be up to snuff.

      Here, "up to snuff" is being used to describe the quality or strength of something. The speaker is saying that the financial report presented by the company wasn't as strong as expected, but they have faith that the next report will meet the expected standards.

    • The chef asked the kitchen staff to step up their game, as the restaurant's food hasn't been up to snuff lately.

      This example uses the idiom in a sentence where the speaker is demanding an improvement in a certain area. In this case, the chef is encouraging the kitchen staff to improve the quality of the food they're serving, as it hasn't been meeting the expectations of the diners.

    • The actor had a rough night on stage, but the audience was kind and told him that it was just a case of a few nerves and that he'd be up to snuff next time.

      Here, "up to snuff" is being used to describe the level of performance or skill of a person in a particular situation. The audience was reassuring the actor that his performance wasn't quite up to standard, but they still had faith that he would improve and meet the expectations of the audience in future performances.

    • The detective's investigative skills were up to snuff after weeks of intensive training and research.

      This means that the detective's skills had reached an acceptable standard or level of proficiency. "Up to snuff" is used here to indicate that the detective's skills were now comparable to the standards or requirements of the job. It implies that the detective is now capable of handling the case effectively and efficiently.

    • The chef's cooking was up to snuff during the recent food festival, impressing the judges with his creative and flavorful dishes.

      This means that the chef's cooking was at the required standard of excellence during the food festival. It implies that the chef was able to deliver dishes that met the judges' expectations and requirements, indicating his culinary skills and expertise.

    • The athlete's performance was up to snuff in the recent competition, earning him the silver medal.

      This means that the athlete's performance in the competition met the acceptable standard or level of proficiency, earning him a reward or recognition. "Up to snuff" is used here to indicate that the athlete's performance was not perfect, but it was good enough to earn him a respectable position in the competition.

    • The student's academic performance was up to snuff, but she still struggled with some aspects of the course.

      This means that the student's overall academic performance met the required standard or level of proficiency, but she still needed to improve some specific areas of her coursework. "Up to snuff" is used here to indicate that the student was not perfect, but she was still doing well enough to meet the expectations of her academic program.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "up to snuff" can be used to indicate that something or someone meets a certain standard or expectation, or to describe someone as being alert and aware.

    In the first meaning, it is often used in a professional or formal context to assess whether something meets the required standard. For example, "The new employee's performance is up to snuff." In the second meaning, it can be used to indicate that someone is mentally sharp and attentive, as in "Despite his age, the professor is still up to snuff."

    Origin of "Up to snuff"

    The origin of the idiom "up to snuff" dates back to the 18th century, when snuff referred to powdered tobacco that was sniffed into the nose. In order to determine the quality of the snuff, people would often smell it to see if it was strong or of good quality. Therefore, if something was "up to snuff," it meant that it was of good quality.

    Over time, the idiom evolved to encompass a broader meaning of meeting a certain standard or expectation. It also came to be used figuratively to describe someone as being mentally sharp and aware. The origin of the idiom "up to snuff" reflects the historical practice of assessing the quality of snuff, and how it has come to be used in modern language to convey the idea of meeting a standard or being mentally alert.