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| smell [ smel ] |
verb (past and past participle smelled or smelt [ smelt ], present participle smell·ing, 3rd person present singular smells) |
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| Definition: |
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1. transitive and intransitive verb detect something using nose: to detect or recognize something by means of sensitive nerves in the nose
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2. transitive verb use nose to assess something: to use the sensitive nerves in the nose to assess something
  Smell that and see if it's still good.
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3. intransitive verb be detected when breathed in: to seem to be in a particular condition or give a particular impression, when judged by somebody breathing in through the nose
Something smells good.
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4. intransitive verb give unpleasant impression when breathed in: to be considered unpleasant when breathed in through the nose
That really smells!
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5. intransitive verb give impression: to give off a suggestion or impression of something
It smells dangerous.
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6. transitive verb feel or detect something: to detect the presence or existence of something, usually something bad
I smell trouble here.
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7. intransitive verb U.S. seem dishonest: to seem dishonest or illegal
Her excuse really smells.
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noun (plural smells) |
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| Definition: |
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1. sense based on nerves in nose: the sense based on the sensitive nerves in the nose that distinguish odors
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2. quality detected by nose: the quality of something that can be detected by the sensitive nerves in the nose
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3. unpleasant odor: the unpleasant impression that something gives when breathed in through the nose
What's that smell?
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4. act of smelling: an act or instance of breathing something in through the nose in order to make a judgment about it
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5. suggestion of something: a suggestion or impression of something
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| [12th century. Origin ?] |
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| smell·er noun |
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| Word Key: Synonyms |
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smell, odor, aroma, bouquet, scent, perfume, fragrance, stink, stench, reek
CORE MEANING: the way something smells
smell a neutral, pleasant, or unpleasant quality detected by the nerves of the nose;
the smell of newly mown grass
a black substance that had the most awful smell
odor a smell, whether pleasant or unpleasant;
the rank odor of sweat
Horses can smell dry oats, which for us have no strong odor.
aroma a distinctive pleasant smell, especially one related to cooking or food;
the appealing aroma of fresh coffee
bouquet the characteristic pleasant smell of a wine;
There is seldom much of a bouquet from Pinot Blanc wines.
scent a pleasant sweet smell such as that of a flower, or the characteristic smell given off by a particular animal or person and used as a trail;
The air was heavy with the scent of flowers.
Badgers can sometimes become nervous if they catch the scent of a stranger.
perfume a sweet, pleasant, and heady smell, especially the smell of flowers or plants;
the heady perfume of the old roses
fragrance a pleasant sweet smell, especially a delicate or subtle one;
the faint, elusive fragrance of his cologne
The jasmine filled the evening air with its fragrance.
stink a strong and unpleasant smell;
the stink of sewage
stench a very strong unpleasant smell, especially a lingering smell associated with death or decay;
The stench of rotting fish hung in the air.
Rescue workers wore face masks to guard against the foul stench.
reek a strong unpleasant smell;
the pungent reek of stable manure |
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