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

Why I’m stuck in a car that stinks of fast-food grease instead of getting ready for the movies.

From Literature

"Harry Milne, for me, he tried everything he possible could to affect the game, to drive Hearts forward. Other than him, pretty much all of them were stinking."

From BBC

And in my head I was already trotting off, looking for that stick, even though I could smell the stink and the thorns were pricking me.

From Literature

“You knowhow we sometimes get an egg good and rotten so it makes a big stink?”

From Literature

"It stinks," he said to Specimen that afternoon.

From Literature

Related Words

• stench