SMELL


Meaning of SMELL in English

n. & v.

n. 1 the faculty of perceiving odours or scents (has a fine sense of smell). 2 the quality in substances that is perceived by this (the smell of thyme; this rose has no smell). 3 an unpleasant odour. 4 the act of inhaling to ascertain smell.

v. (past and past part. smelt or smelled) 1 tr. perceive the smell of; examine by smell (thought I could smell gas). 2 intr. emit odour. 3 intr. seem by smell to be (this milk smells sour). 4 intr. (foll. by of) a be redolent of (smells of fish). b be suggestive of (smells of dishonesty). 5 intr. stink; be rank. 6 tr. perceive as if by smell; detect, discern, suspect (smell a bargain; smell blood). 7 intr. have or use a sense of smell. 8 intr. (foll. by about) sniff or search about. 9 intr. (foll. by at) inhale the smell of. smelling-bottle a small bottle of smelling-salts. smelling-salts ammonium carbonate mixed with scent to be sniffed as a restorative in faintness etc. smell out 1 detect by smell; find out by investigation. 2 (of a dog etc.) hunt out by smell. smell a rat begin to suspect trickery etc. smellable adj. smeller n. smell-less adj.

[ ME smel(le), prob. f. OE ]

Concise Oxford English dictionary.      Краткий оксфордский словарь английского языка.