stink

American  

[stingk] / stɪŋk /

verb (used without object)

stank, stunk, stunk, stinking

1. to emit a strong offensive smell.

   Synonyms:

   reek

2. to be offensive to honesty or propriety; to be in extremely bad repute or disfavor.

3. Informal. to be disgustingly inferior.

   That book stinks.

4. Slang. to have a large quantity of something (usually followed by of orwith ).

   They stink of money. She stinks with jewelry.

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verb (used with object)

stank, stunk, stunk, stinking

1. to cause to stink or be otherwise offensive (often followed byup ).

   an amateurish performance that really stank up the stage.

noun

1. a strong offensive smell; stench.

2. Informal. an unpleasant fuss; scandal.

   There was a big stink about his accepting a bribe.

3. (used with a singular verb) stinks, chemistry as a course of study.

verb phrase

1. stink out to repel or drive out by means of a highly offensive smell.

stink British  

/ stɪŋk /

noun

1. a strong foul smell; stench

2. slang a great deal of trouble (esp in the phrase to make or raise a stink )

3. intensely; furiously

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verb

1. to emit a foul smell

2. slang to be thoroughly bad or abhorrent

   this town stinks

3. informal to have a very bad reputation

   his name stinks

4. to be of poor quality

5. slang to have or appear to have an excessive amount (of money)

6. informal to cause to stink

stink Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing stink

• big stink
• make a stink
• smell (stink) up

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Other Word Forms

• outstink verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of stink

First recorded before 900; (verb) Middle English stinken, Old English stincan; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the verb; cognate with German stinken (verb); stench

Example Sentences

“I believe that the children were all on board and would have done exactly what the court asked them to do, and that is, tell the truth. So from my standpoint, this stinks.”

From Los Angeles Times

"The tap water in our house is still contaminated and it stinks," she says.

From BBC

A row over cat poo has gone to the high court after a homeowner kicked up a stink about a neighbour's pets allegedly doing their business in his garden.

From BBC

I’ve never touched a gun nor smote anything larger than a stink bug.

From The Wall Street Journal

Charlotte Church has revealed she has ditched deodorant and stopped shaving, saying she "generally stinks".

From BBC

Related Words

• stench