smell

[ smel ]

/ smɛl /

verb (used with object), smelled or smelt, smell·ing.

to perceive the odor or scent of through the nose by means of the olfactory nerves; inhale the odor of: I smell something burning.

to test by the sense of smell: She smelled the meat to see if it was fresh.

to perceive, detect, or discover by shrewdness or sagacity: The detective smelled foul play.

verb (used without object), smelled or smelt, smell·ing.

to perceive something by its odor or scent.

to search or investigate (followed by around or about).

to give off or have an odor or scent: Do the yellow roses smell?

to give out an offensive odor; stink.

to have a particular odor (followed by of): My hands smell of fish.

to have a trace or suggestion (followed by of).

Informal. to be of inferior quality; stink: The play is good, but the direction smells.

Informal. to have the appearance or a suggestion of guilt or corruption: They may be honest, but the whole situation smells.

noun

the sense of smell; faculty of smelling.

the quality of a thing that is or may be smelled; odor; scent.

a trace or suggestion.

an act or instance of smelling.

a pervading appearance, character, quality, or influence: the smell of money.

Verb Phrases

smell out, to look for or detect as if by smelling; search out: to smell out enemy spies.

smell up, to fill with an offensive odor; stink up: The garbage smelled up the yard.

Idioms for smell

smell a rat. rat(def 6).

Origin of smell

1125–75; early Middle English smell, smull (noun), smellen, smullen (v.) < ?

SYNONYMS FOR smell

13 See odor.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR smell ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM smell

smell·a·ble, adjective smell-less, adjective out·smell, verb (used with object), out·smelled or out·smelt, out·smel·ling. un·smelled, adjective

un·smell·ing, adjective

Words nearby smell

smeddum, smedley, smeech, smegma, smegmalith, smell, smell a rat, smell fishy, smell to high heaven, smell up, smeller

British Dictionary definitions for smell up

smell

/ (smɛl) /

verb smells, smelling, smelt or smelled

(tr) to perceive the scent or odour of (a substance) by means of the olfactory nerves

(copula) to have a specified smell; appear to the sense of smell to be the beaches smell of seaweed; some tobacco smells very sweet

(intr often foll by of) to emit an odour (of) the park smells of flowers

(intr) to emit an unpleasant odour; stink

(tr often foll by out) to detect through shrewdness or instinct

(intr) to have or use the sense of smell; sniff

(intr foll by of) to give indications (of) he smells of money

(intr; foll by around, about, etc) to search, investigate, or pry

(copula) to be or seem to be untrustworthy or corrupt

smell a rat to detect something suspicious

noun

that sense (olfaction) by which scents or odours are perceived Related adjective: olfactory

anything detected by the sense of smell; odour; scent

a trace or indication

the act or an instance of smelling

Derived forms of smell

smeller, noun

Word Origin for smell

C12: of uncertain origin; compare Middle Dutch smölen to scorch

Medical definitions for smell up

smell

[ smĕl ]

v.

To perceive the scent of something by means of the olfactory nerves.

n.

The sense by which odors are perceived; the olfactory sense.

Idioms and Phrases with smell up (1 of 2)

smell up

Also, stink up. Cause a bad odor, as in These onions smell up the whole house, or Your old sneakers are stinking up the closet; throw them out. [Mid-1900s]

Idioms and Phrases with smell up (2 of 2)

smell

In addition to the idioms beginning with smell

smell a rat
smell fishy
smell to high heaven
smell up

also see:

come up (smelling like) roses
stink (smell) to high heaven

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

smell

verb (used with object), smelled or smelt, smell·ing.

verb (used without object), smelled or smelt, smell·ing.

noun

Verb Phrases

Idioms for smell

Origin of smell

SYNONYMS FOR smell

OTHER WORDS FROM smell

Words nearby smell

British Dictionary definitions for smell up

verb smells, smelling, smelt or smelled

noun

Derived forms of smell

Word Origin for smell

Medical definitions for smell up

v.

n.

Idioms and Phrases with smell up (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with smell up (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

smell

verb (used with object), smelled or smelt, smell·ing.

verb (used without object), smelled or smelt, smell·ing.

noun

Verb Phrases

Idioms for smell

Origin of smell

SYNONYMS FOR smell

OTHER WORDS FROM smell

Words nearby smell

Words related to smell up

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for smell up

verb smells, smelling, smelt or smelled

noun

Derived forms of smell

Word Origin for smell

Medical definitions for smell up

v.

n.

Idioms and Phrases with smell up (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with smell up (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for smell up