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.

QUIZZES

TAKE ROUND 2 OF OUR PSAT VOCABULARY QUIZ!

Here is our second set of teacher-selected PSAT vocabulary words. Do you know the meanings of these terms?

Question 1 of 10

advocate

to give up possession or occupancy of.

to speak or write in favor of; support or urge by argument; recommend publicly.

to pronounce or decree by judicial sentence.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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, adjectivesmell-less, adjectiveout·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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for smell

There is the smell here of an indecent rush for scapegoats, even before we know what really caused this crash.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The smell of grilled meat mixes with the exotic wafts of cinnamon tea served with a mush of sweet brown dessert.
The Photographer Who Gave Up Manhattan for Marrakech|Liza Foreman|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“J.W. heard Hayden say softly, ‘You smell good,’” the papers report.
Rape, Lies & Videotape in Ferguson|Michael Daly|November 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“They see the crowds, they smell the hot dogs,” said Dolan, playing out the metaphor.
Pope Francis Wins a Battle to Welcome Gays in the Church|Barbie Latza Nadeau|October 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I could smell the patchouli oil he was wearing as well as the incense that was burning in the studio.
When Gary Wright Met George Harrison: Dream Weaver, John and Yoko, and More|Gary Wright|September 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So on and on the creek leads to new beauties of color and form, new delights for taste and smell.
Some Summer Days in Iowa|Frederick John Lazell
Why did he linger behind when here was grass and water––surely water, for the smell of it was fresh and sweet.
The Eye of Dread|Payne Erskine
The smell of the soil sweetened musty law books, deodorized the doctor's den, and floated as incense above the church altars.
Chapters in Rural Progress|Kenyon L. Butterfield
I can tell by the hands, and the eyes, and the skin, and the smell.
Dawn O'Hara, The Girl Who Laughed|Edna Ferber
Amid a smell of new-roasted coffee he sat at a table and watched people pass briskly through the ruddy sunlight.
One Man's Initiation--1917|John Dos Passos

British Dictionary definitions for smell

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 bethe 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 perceivedRelated 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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for smell

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

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

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

smell

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

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