smell
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smell
(smĕl)n.
1.
a. The sense, located in the nasal cavities of mammals and relying on the olfactory nerves, by which molecules borne in a fluid such as air can be perceived; the olfactory sense.
b. A similar sense in other animals, as insects' ability to perceive air-borne molecules with their antennae.
2. The act or an instance of smelling: got a smell of the pie.
3.
a. A quality of something that is perceived by the sense of smell; an odor: the smell of a barn.
b. A distinctive enveloping or characterizing quality; an aura or trace: the smell of success.
v. smelled or smelt (smĕlt), smell·ing, smells
v.tr.
1.
a. To perceive (an odor) by the sense of smell.
b. To perceive or detect (something) by a chemosensory organ, such as an antenna.
2. To inhale the air near (something); sniff: smiled as she smelled the rose.
3. To detect or discover, as by intuition or inference: We smelled trouble ahead. The committee tried to smell out corruption in law enforcement.
v.intr.
Idioms: 1. To use the sense of smell.
2. To sniff: The dog was smelling around the bed.
3.
a. To have or emit an odor: "The breeze smelled exactly like Vouvray—flowery, with a hint of mothballs underneath" (Anne Tyler).
b. To have or emit an unpleasant odor; stink: This closet smells.
4.
a. To be suggestive; have a touch of something: a remark that smells of sanctimony.
b. To appear to be dishonest or corrupt: The political situation is starting to smell.
smell a rat Slang
To suspect that something is wrong.
smell blood
To sense an opportunity for advantage at someone else's expense.
smell the roses
To spend time in leisurely enjoyment.
[Middle English smel, of unknown origin.]
Synonyms: smell, aroma, odor, scent
These nouns denote a quality that can be perceived by the olfactory sense: the smell of smoke; the aroma of frying onions; hospital odors; the scent of pine needles.
These nouns denote a quality that can be perceived by the olfactory sense: the smell of smoke; the aroma of frying onions; hospital odors; the scent of pine needles.
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.
smell
(smɛl)vb, smells, smelling, smelt or smelled
1. (Physiology) (tr) to perceive the scent or odour of (a substance) by means of the olfactory nerves
2. (copula) to have a specified smell; appear to the sense of smell to be: the beaches smell of seaweed; some tobacco smells very sweet.
3. (often foll by: of) to emit an odour (of): the park smells of flowers.
4. (intr) to emit an unpleasant odour; stink
5. (often foll by: out) to detect through shrewdness or instinct
6. (Physiology) (intr) to have or use the sense of smell; sniff
7. (foll by: of) to give indications (of): he smells of money.
8. (intr; foll by around, about, etc) to search, investigate, or pry
9. (copula) to be or seem to be untrustworthy or corrupt
10. smell a rat to detect something suspicious
n
11. (Physiology) that sense (olfaction) by which scents or odours are perceived.
12. anything detected by the sense of smell; odour; scent
13. a trace or indication
14. the act or an instance of smelling
[C12: of uncertain origin; compare Middle Dutch smölen to scorch]
ˈsmeller n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
smell
(smɛl)v. smelled smelt, smell•ing, v.t.
1. to perceive the odor or scent of through the nose by means of the olfactory nerves; inhale the odor of.
2. to test by the sense of smell: He smelled the meat to see if it was fresh.
3. to perceive, detect, or discover by shrewdness or sagacity: The detective smelled foul play.
v.i. 4. to perceive the odor or scent of something.
5. to give off or have an odor or scent.
6. to have a particular odor or scent: to smell of fish.
7. to give out an offensive odor; stink.
8. to have a trace or suggestion (fol. by of).
9. to search or investigate (fol. by around or about).
10. Informal. to be of inferior quality; stink.
11. Informal. to appear to be guilty, corrupt, etc.
12. smell out, to look for or detect by or as if by smelling.
13. smell up, to fill with an offensive odor; stink up.
n. 14. the sense of smell; faculty of smelling.
15. that quality of a thing that is or may be smelled; odor; scent.
16. a trace or suggestion.
17. an act or instance of smelling.
18. a pervading appearance, character, quality, or influence: the smell of money.
Idioms: smell a rat, to suspect that something is wrong.
[1125–75; early Middle English smell, smull (n.), smellen, smullen (v.), of obscure orig.]
smell′er, n.
syn: See odor.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Smell
- The air smelled like damp flannel —Jonathan Kellerman
- The air smelled … like the interior of the Bastille in 1760 —Carlos Baker
- As malodorous as a badly ventilated lion house in a zoo —John Cheever
- A close antiseptic odor like an empty schoolroom —George Garrett
- A dark wet smell like a cave —Pat Conroy
- He smelled like something that spent the winter in a cave —Sue Grafton
- It [a hotel lobby] smelled like fifty million dead cigars —J. D. Salinger
- A kitchen odor hung about like a bad mood —Tom Maclntyre
- The lingering odor of sweat like sour wheat —Louise Erdrich
- (He gave off an) odor like a neglected gym locker —Wallace Stegner
- The odor of her body, like salted flowers —Bernard Malamud
- The odor (of newly turned earth) steamed up around him like incense —Dorothy Canfield Fisher
- The office smelled like hot coffee —Richard Ford
- An old man smells old … like old clothes that need an airing —Saul Bellow
- The place smells like a wrestler’s armpit —Jilly Cooper
- Pleasantly pungent, like the smell of one’s own body —John Updike
- Reek like last week’s fish —Mike Sommer
- The scent [from garden] rises like heat from a body —Margaret Atwood
- Scent rising like incense (from the cleavage of her splendid bosom) —Jilly Cooper
- The sea smelled like a sail whose billows had caught up water, salt, and a cold sun —Robert Goddard
- Sexual smells, like the odor of an excellent cheese, are considered foul by those who experienced them without their appetites being involved —Judith Martin
- A smell [of cheap cologne] like rotten bananas in a straw basket —Jonathan Valin
- [Hallway of a hotel] smelled like hot bread and clean laundry —Richard Ford
- Smelled like something the cat dragged in —American colloquialism
- (Mrs. Lamb) smelled like spoiled lilacs —Richard Ford
- [A boy] smelled like the bottom of a calf pen where the piss settled and burned the yellow straw red and when you turned the straw over with a fork the ammonia smell made your eyes water —Will Weaver
- Smell fresh as apples —John Braine
- (Soft-spoken women) smelling like washed babies —Philip Levine
- Smell like an open drain —Louis MacNeice
- Smell like a sick skunk —Elmer Kelton
- The smell of moist earth and lilacs hung in the air like wisps of the past and hints of the future —Margaret Millar
- Smells like the underneath of a car —Carolyn Chute
- Smells badly like things that have been too long dead —Donald McCaig
- Smells fresh as melting snow —W. P. Kinsella
- Smell stronger than a ton of rotten mangoes —Hunter S. Thompson
- Smell (of carnations) … thick as smoke in the sun —Mary Stewart
- [Honeysuckle smell] smothering, like an anesthetic —Lynne Sharon Schwartz
- A stale smell like a bad embalming job —Jimmy Sangster
- (The married man is grateful for) the stuffy room that smells of his wife like a bar smells of beer —David Denby
- There was a foul reek of something fecund and feline, like the stench of old lion spore upon the veldt —Tama Janowitz
- Wet fields reek like some long empty church —John Betjeman
Similes Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1988 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
smell
Smell can be a noun or a verb. The past tense and -ed participle of the verb is smelled, but smelt is also used in British English.
1. used as a noun
The smell of something is a quality it has that you are aware of through your nose.
I love the smell of fresh bread.
What's that smell?
2. used as an intransitive verb
If you say that something smells, you mean that people are aware of it because of its unpleasant smell.
The fridge is beginning to smell.
His feet smell.
You can say that a place or object smells of a particular thing, which can be pleasant or unpleasant.
The house smelled of flowers.
Her breath smelt of coffee.
Be Careful!
You must use of in sentences like these. Don't say 'The house smelled freshly baked bread'.
You can say that one place or thing smells like another thing, which can be pleasant or unpleasant.
The house smelt like a hospital ward.
I love this shampoo – it smells like lemons.
You can also use smell with an adjective to say that something has a pleasant or unpleasant smell.
What is it? It smells delicious.
The room smelled damp.
Be Careful!
Don't use an adverb after smell. Don't say, for example, 'It smells deliciously'.
3. used as a transitive verb
If you can smell something, you are aware of it through your nose.
I could smell the dinner cooking in the kitchen.
Can you smell the ocean?
Be Careful!
You usually use can or could in sentences like these. You usually say, for example, 'I can smell gas' rather than 'I smell gas'. Don't use a progressive form. Don't say 'I am smelling gas'.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
smell
Past participle: smelled/smelt
Gerund: smelling
| Imperative |
|---|
| smell |
| smell |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  smell - the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form; "she loved the smell of roses"aesthesis, esthesis, sensation, sense datum, sense experience, sense impression - an unelaborated elementary awareness of stimulation; "a sensation of touch" scent - an odor left in passing by which a person or animal can be traced fetor, foetor, malodor, malodour, reek, stench, stink, mephitis - a distinctive odor that is offensively unpleasant acridity - having an acrid smell |
| 2. |  smell - any property detected by the olfactory systemproperty - a basic or essential attribute shared by all members of a class; "a study of the physical properties of atomic particles" fetidness, malodorousness, stinkiness, rankness, foulness - the attribute of having a strong offensive smell muskiness - having the olfactory properties of musk rancidness - the property of being rancid | |
| 3. |  smell - the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people; "the feel of the city excited him"; "a clergyman improved the tone of the meeting"; "it had the smell of treason"ambiance, ambience, atmosphere - a particular environment or surrounding influence; "there was an atmosphere of excitement" Hollywood - a flashy vulgar tone or atmosphere believed to be characteristic of the American film industry; "some people in publishing think of theirs as a glamorous medium so they copy the glitter of Hollywood" Zeitgeist - the spirit of the time; the spirit characteristic of an age or generation | |
| 4. | smell - the faculty that enables us to distinguish scents exteroception - sensitivity to stimuli originating outside of the body nose - the sense of smell (especially in animals); "the hound has a good nose" | |
| 5. |  smell - the act of perceiving the odor of somethingsensing, perception - becoming aware of something via the senses | |
| Verb | 1. | smell - inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense perceive, comprehend - to become aware of through the senses; "I could perceive the ship coming over the horizon" get a noseful, get a whiff - smell strongly and intensely |
| 2. | smell - emit an odor; "The soup smells good" cause to be perceived - have perceptible qualities smell - smell bad; "He rarely washes, and he smells" | |
| 3. | smell - smell bad; "He rarely washes, and he smells" smell - emit an odor; "The soup smells good" salute - become noticeable; "a terrible stench saluted our nostrils" | |
| 4. | smell - have an element suggestive (of something); "his speeches smacked of racism"; "this passage smells of plagiarism" | |
| 5. | smell - become aware of not through the senses but instinctively; "I sense his hostility"; "i smell trouble"; "smell out corruption" perceive - become conscious of; "She finally perceived the futility of her protest" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
smell
noun
verb
2. stink, reek, pong (Brit. informal), hum (slang), whiff (Brit. slang), stink to high heaven (informal), niff (Brit. slang), be malodorous Do my feet smell?
3. sniff, scent, get a whiff of, detect the smell of, nose We could smell the gas.
smell of something smack of, suggest, seem like, have the hallmarks of, have all the signs of The lawyer's solution smells of quackery.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
smell
verb2. To have or give off a foul odor:
Idiom: smell to high heaven.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
الشَّمحاسَّة الشَّمرَائِحَةرائِحَهفَاحَتْ مِنْهُ رَائِحَةُ...
čichčichatcítitpachvonět
lugtlugtelugte tillugtesansduft
haistaahajuhajuaistihaista
mirismirisatipomirisati
megszagolszaglásszagolérzi a szagát
aromabau
finna lykt aflykt, òefur, ilmur, daunnlykta, òefja, angalykta/òefa aflyktarskyn
においにおいがするにおいを嗅ぐ嗅覚
...의 냄새가 나다냄새냄새를 맡다
pauostytiprasmirdęsuostiuostymasuostyti
ostīšanaožaPasmaržo šo!pasmaržošanapasmaržot
byť cítiťovoňanieprivoňaťvoňať
dišatismrdetivohvohativonj
luktlukta
ได้กลิ่นกลิ่นมีกลิ่น
có mùimùingửi
smell
[smel] (smelled (smelt (vb: pt, pp)))A. N
1. (= sense) → olfato m
to have a keen sense of smell → tener buen olfato, tener un buen sentido del olfato
to have a keen sense of smell → tener buen olfato, tener un buen sentido del olfato
2. (= odour) → olor m
it has a nice smell → tiene un olor agradable → huele bien
there's a smell of gas/of burning → huele a gas/a quemado
there was an unpleasant smell → había un olor desagradable
it eliminates cooking smells → elimina los olores de la cocina
the sweet smell of success → la seducción del éxito
it has a nice smell → tiene un olor agradable → huele bien
there's a smell of gas/of burning → huele a gas/a quemado
there was an unpleasant smell → había un olor desagradable
it eliminates cooking smells → elimina los olores de la cocina
the sweet smell of success → la seducción del éxito
B. VT
C. VI
1. (= emit odour) → oler
it smells good → huele bien
that flower doesn't smell → esa flor no tiene olor
it smells damp in here → aquí huele a humedad
to smell like sth → oler a algo
what does it smell like? → ¿a qué huele?
to smell of sth (lit, fig) → oler a algo
it smells of garlic → huele a ajo
it's beginning to smell of a cover-up → está empezando a oler a encubrimiento
if food smells off, throw it away → si la comida huele mal or a pasada, tírela
it smells good → huele bien
that flower doesn't smell → esa flor no tiene olor
it smells damp in here → aquí huele a humedad
to smell like sth → oler a algo
what does it smell like? → ¿a qué huele?
to smell of sth (lit, fig) → oler a algo
it smells of garlic → huele a ajo
it's beginning to smell of a cover-up → está empezando a oler a encubrimiento
if food smells off, throw it away → si la comida huele mal or a pasada, tírela
2. (= smell bad) → oler
that man smells → ese hombre huele
your feet smell → te huelen los pies
her breath smells → le huele el aliento
that man smells → ese hombre huele
your feet smell → te huelen los pies
her breath smells → le huele el aliento
smell out VT + ADV
1. (= find by scent) [dog] → olfatear
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
smell
[ˈsmɛl] [smelt] (pt, pp) [smelled] (pt, pp) n
(= odour) → odeur f
the smell of fresh bread → l'odeur du pain frais
What's that smell? → Qu'est-ce que c'est que cette odeur?
the smell of fresh bread → l'odeur du pain frais
What's that smell? → Qu'est-ce que c'est que cette odeur?
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
smell
vb: pret, ptp <smelt (esp Brit) or smelled>n (= sense of smell, odour) → Geruch m; (unpleasant also) → Gestank m; (fragrant also) → Duft m; it has a nice smell → es riecht gut or angenehm; there’s a funny smell in here → hier riecht es komisch; to have or take a smell at something → an etw (acc) → riechen or (dog etc) → schnuppern
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
smell
[smɛl] (smelled or smelt (vb: pt, pp))1. n
2. vt (gas, cooking) → sentire odore di; (flower) → annusare
to smell something burning → sentire odore di bruciato
to smell danger (fig) → fiutare un pericolo
I smell a rat (fig) → qui gatta ci cova
to smell something burning → sentire odore di bruciato
to smell danger (fig) → fiutare un pericolo
I smell a rat (fig) → qui gatta ci cova
3. vi (pleasantly) → sapere, odorare; (unpleasantly) → puzzare
my fingers smell of garlic → ho le dita che puzzano di aglio
it smells like chicken → odora di pollo
it smells good → ha un buon odore
it smells damp in here → c'è odore di umidità qui dentro
his breath smells → gli puzza l'alito
my fingers smell of garlic → ho le dita che puzzano di aglio
it smells like chicken → odora di pollo
it smells good → ha un buon odore
it smells damp in here → c'è odore di umidità qui dentro
his breath smells → gli puzza l'alito
smell out vt + adv
a. (animal, prey, also) (fig) → fiutare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
smell
(smel) noun1. the sense or power of being aware of things through one's nose. My sister never had a good sense of smell.
2. the quality that is noticed by using this power. a pleasant smell; There's a strong smell of gas.
3. an act of using this power. Have a smell of this!
verb – past tense, past participles smelled, ~smelt (smelt) – 1. to notice by using one's nose. I smell gas; I thought I smelt (something) burning.
2. to give off a smell. The roses smelt beautiful; Her hands smelt of fish.
3. to examine by using the sense of smell. Let me smell those flowers.
-smelling having a (particular kind of) smell. a nasty-smelling liquid; sweet-smelling roses.
ˈsmelly adjective having a bad smell. smelly fish.
ˈsmelliness nounsmell out
to find (as if) by smelling. We buried the dog's bone, but he smelt it out again.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
smell
→ رَائِحَة, فَاحَتْ مِنْهُ رَائِحَةُ..., يَشَمُّ čichat, pach, zapáchat lugt, lugte Geruch, riechen, stinken μυρίζω, μυρωδιά oler, olfatear, olor haista, haistaa, haju odeur, sentir miris, mirisati, pomirisati odorare, odore, puzzare におい, においがする, においを嗅ぐ ...의 냄새가 나다, 냄새, 냄새를 맡다 geur, ruiken lukt, lukte pachnieć, poczuć zapach, zapach cheirar, cheiro обоняние, обонять, пахнуть lukt, lukta ได้กลิ่น, กลิ่น, มีกลิ่น koklamak, kokmak, koku có mùi, mùi, ngửi 气味, 闻Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
smell
1. n. olor, aroma;
penetrating ___ → ___ penetrante;
2. sentido del olfato;
v. oler, percibir un olor.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
smell
n olor m; vt oler; Can you smell this?..¿Puede oler esto?; vi oler; to — bad oler mal; to — like oler aEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.