smell

[[t]smɛl[/t]]

v. smelled smelt, smell•ing,

1) to perceive the odor or scent of through the nose by means of the olfactory nerves; inhale the odor of

2) to test by the sense of smell:

He smelled the meat to see if it was fresh[/ex]

3) to perceive, detect, or discover by shrewdness or sagacity:

The detective smelled foul play[/ex]

4) phl to perceive the odor or scent of something

5) to give off or have an odor or scent

6) to have a particular odor or scent:

to smell of fish[/ex]

7) phl to give out an offensive odor; stink

8) to have a trace or suggestion (fol. by of)

9) to search or investigate (fol. by around or about)

10) cvb inf Informal. to be of inferior quality; stink

11) cvb inf Informal. to appear to be guilty, corrupt, etc

12) phv smell out, to look for or detect by or as if by smelling

13) phv smell up, to fill with an offensive odor; stink up

14) phl the sense of smell; faculty of smelling

15) that quality of a thing that is or may be smelled; odor; scent

16) a trace or suggestion

17) an act or instance of smelling

18) a pervading appearance, character, quality, or influence:

the smell of money[/ex]

•

- smell a rat

Etymology: 1125–75; early ME smell, smull (n.), smellen, smullen (v.), of obscure orig. smell′er, n. syn: See odor