Up to snuff
Meaning
To be good enough, meeting the required standards or expectations.
Origin
Imagine the bustling tobacco shops of 19th-century America, where discerning customers judged the quality of their snuff—finely ground tobacco—by its aroma, texture, and 'kick.' Inferior snuff was considered 'not up to snuff,' a phrase that quickly spread beyond the shop. Whether evaluating a product, a performance, or even a person's character, if it met the expected standard, it was 'up to snuff.' This vivid connection to a commonplace item of the era embedded the phrase firmly in the vernacular, signifying satisfactory quality.
Examples
- The new intern's work wasn't quite up to snuff, so he needed some extra training.
- After months of practice, her performance was finally up to snuff for the national competition.