smell
verb (used with object)
to perceive the odor or scent of through the nose by means of the olfactory nerves; inhale the odor of.
had been smelling
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past perfect progressiveof smell.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“My main concern was that we had been smelling things for years and years and years and we never even knew what we were living next to,” she said.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 26, 2022
Then I knew what I had been smelling.
From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner
As we were shoving off, old Surley, who had been smelling about after the other men, gave a loud bark, as much as to say, “Don’t leave me behind,” and leaped in after us.
From A Voyage round the World A book for boys by Kingston, William Henry Giles
The lady had been smelling it for some miles back, and she had got her eye on Mr. Hoyt, and had put her handkerchief to her nose.
From Peck's Sunshine Being a Collection of Articles Written for Peck's Sun, Milwaukee, Wis. - 1882 by Peck, George W. (George Wilbur)
"Go and show them to Mrs. Amsden," she said, giving back the violets, which she had been smelling.
From Indian Summer by Howells, William Dean
