smell up

Idioms  

1. 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]

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Example Sentences

The worst they’ve done is smell up the house after rolling around outside with a couple of dirty beagles.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

In some cases, moisture will drip down into the heating element, which can smell up your house or even short the wiring and destroy the dehydrator.

From Salon • Aug. 25, 2022

The danger, though, is that squashed stink bugs can smell up the vacuum cleaner.

From Washington Post • Sep. 24, 2010

The speed at which I eat it, it doesn't smell up the place too bad.

From Time Magazine Archive

"There isn't much smell up here," I said.

From Hints to Pilgrims by Brooks, Charles Stephen