I. noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
a sense of smell/taste/touch etc
▪
We lose some of the sense of taste as we get older.
food smells good
▪
The food smelt good to her.
lingering smell/aroma/odour
▪
the lingering aroma of chocolate
look/taste/smell nice
▪
You look nice in that suit.
▪
Mm, something smells nice!
pungent smell/aroma/odour etc
▪
the pungent odour of garlic
rank smell/odour
▪
the rank odour of sweat and urine
sickly smell
▪
A sickly smell clung to his clothes and hair.
smell of perfume
▪
Her coat smelt of cheap perfume and cigarettes.
smelling salts
sound/taste/smell/feel etc great
▪
I worked out this morning and I feel great.
▪
You look great in that dress.
subtle taste/flavour/smell etc
▪
The flavour of the dried berries is more subtle.
sweet smell of success
▪
the sweet smell of success
the smell/scent of perfume
▪
The smell of perfume filled the air.
vile smell
▪
a vile smell
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADJECTIVE
acrid
▪
The stuffiness in the hold was made worse by the acrid smell of unwashed bodies.
▪
The jute had an acrid smell that scooped up the rank aroma of moist earth as it leapt from the ground.
▪
He wrinkled his nose in distaste at the acrid smell of the place.
▪
The sharp, acrid male smell which rose from his hot skin filled my nostrils.
▪
These formulations are supplied in liquid form and are similar in texture to detergents although with a slightly acrid smell unless perfumed.
▪
The sharp acrid smell of gutters choked by the monsoon rain.
▪
Strong winds late Sunday blew hard south, sending the acrid smell of a campfire through much of Phoenix.
bad
▪
Some of the poor girls had a bad smell .
▪
The superintendent grimaced as though her nostrils had suddenly detected a bad smell .
▪
When they were full, the bad smell helped us find them at night without a flashlight.
▪
Sometimes Gina sat on the lavatory watching him and making a bad smell or laughing.
delicious
▪
The delicious smell was twisting his simple mind into knots of ravening hunger.
▪
Stafford opened the oven, releasing a burst of delicious smells .
▪
The warm, delicious smell of home baking emanating from the kitchen made Beth realise just how hungry she was.
▪
Coming home from school on a Friday afternoon, the delicious smell emanating from our kitchen permeated the entire tenement.
▪
Soon there are delicious smells wafting through the house.
▪
There was a delicious smell wafting from a pink hyacinth which was growing in a glass on the table at his side.
▪
But the bread oven conjures up delicious smells of baking and a homely warmth, missing in most modern homes.
▪
The fallout is the delicious smell of burgers and soggy onions that wafts tantalisingly across a crowd estimated at 42,000 by Jakki.
faint
▪
In my bed is a faint smell of excrement.
▪
There was a faint smell of hay in my room, even in that weather, even with the windows closed.
▪
A faint smell of frying bacon drifted up from the kitchen.
▪
As the steam drifted toward him, it seemed to bring with it a faint smell of meat.
▪
He detected the faint smell of blood just before the familiar but oddly stagnant odor of Jinju came rushing toward him.
▪
A faint smell of cooking emerged from the kitchen.
▪
Something somewhere in here may be rotting; there is a faint smell .
familiar
▪
The familiar smell of the dental surgery comes from oil of cloves, a component of some dental cements.
▪
Marie said, following Helen along the hallway with its familiar dank smell of musty horsehair and cedar and mothballs.
▪
The familiar frowsty smell compounded of soot and chicken meal met her.
▪
The most familiar popular smells are probably fresh coffee, newly mown grass, hyacinths and freshly baked bread.
▪
There was the old familiar smell of the oak tree shade.
▪
The first thing he noticed was the tang of disinfectant, mingled with the familiar smells of polish and coal ash.
▪
The familiar smell of the cottage soothed him as he opened the door.
fishy
▪
I was surprised that it didn't have a fishy smell .
musty
▪
After the crisp freshness of the shop, the flat had a musty stale smell .
▪
This, and the musty smell of books, was its chief attraction for Richard.
▪
There was a musty smell and a deep silence.
▪
There was a musty smell: it had not been opened for a decade.
▪
It was cold inside but the friar was pleased that it had lost its musty smell .
▪
It was a damp musty smell .
▪
It was very hot in the room already and there was a musty smell .
▪
No footmarks disturbed the dust, cobwebs hung like festoons and a strange musty smell pervaded the atmosphere.
pungent
▪
The leaves when crushed give out a pungent or acid smell .
▪
The air is pungent with the smell of garlic fresh from the ground.
▪
It was a creepy spot with a strong pungent smell of garlic and there was always a feeling of tension and foreboding.
▪
Candles flickered, incense burned in an unsuccessful attempt to cover the pungent smell of marijuana.
▪
My favourite was the lightly spiced Cape Malay Rooibos Chai which had a pungent smell and dark colour.
▪
Old oak has an honest, pungent , lusty smell as you would expect.
▪
A fox earth can be located from a considerable distance downwind by the pungent smell given off.
▪
A pungent smell of garlic filled the air.
rank
▪
The strange, rank smell was stronger than ever and after a few moments they all heard a heavy movement close by.
▪
Each step up the stairway was rank with smells .
▪
The night air had a rank sweaty smell like the distilled essence of anxiety.
▪
Everywhere was the rank smell of copra drying.
rich
▪
And the rich , savoury smell of the hare drifted down to meet her, turning her stomach.
▪
Mungo breathed in the rich animal smell as they followed Mr Zamoyski through to the back room.
▪
He had toyed with the fantasy of sleeping with her; the rich smell aroused him.
▪
The alleys between them were dark and damp, rich with the smell of onions hung from the eaves.
▪
The rich loamy smell of the fen autumn night washed over his face; strong, yet fresh.
▪
All had the same rich , opulent smell as Cowslip.
▪
There was a rich and spicy smell .
▪
At last they stopped, lying together, smelling the rich smell, feeling their sweat grow chill on them.
sickly
▪
When the wind was in the west a sickly smell floated over the pits.
▪
It was hot and jammed and the air was redolent with the sickly sweet smell of cheap champagne.
▪
The sickly-sweet smell of sewage from leaking pipes mingles with the scent of fresh cherry blossom.
▪
He hadn't shaved for a few days and a sickly smell clung to his clothes and hair.
▪
As usual, it was the strange smell that repelled him - a sweet sickly smell that he couldn't identify.
sour
▪
He moved around, inspecting each body carefully, holding his breath against the sour smell of corruption.
▪
He hated the sour smell and atmosphere of the club, where chairs had been pushed back to create a studio floor.
▪
After he had gone I found that my nightie was covered in a horrible sticky mess with a strange sour smell .
▪
It was a sour smell , but good.
▪
Even through her perfume she could still detect the sour smell of the sheets.
▪
She has the basement flat and it's always got this sour damp smell even though she burns joss sticks all day long.
▪
There was a sour smell and the growing heat of the sun was sucking up a mist from the waters.
▪
There was a dank, sour smell to everything, a smell of decay and great antiquity.
stale
▪
It had the slightly stale smell of such untended places.
▪
After the crisp freshness of the shop, the flat had a musty stale smell .
▪
The scent of rose water hung in the air, covering the stale smell of pipe tobacco and strong drink.
▪
The stale smell of socks and the constant din contributed to the normal post-gymnastic atmosphere.
▪
Rain recognized the stale smell , and her glance went to the half-open shutters.
strange
▪
He became suddenly aware of a strange , unpleasant smell .
▪
I had six sisters, so there were enough strange smells in the house as it was.
▪
There was a strange mixture of smells in the room, soap and bread and beef gravy.
▪
New York was not behind the times in strange smells .
▪
After he had gone I found that my nightie was covered in a horrible sticky mess with a strange sour smell .
▪
The strange , rank smell was stronger than ever and after a few moments they all heard a heavy movement close by.
▪
The infirmary was quiet like the chapel and had a strange smell .
▪
I smelt ... strange new smells.
strong
▪
When I was a kid I loved the seashore for its mix of beautiful, subtle colours and strong smells .
▪
A strong smell of brimstone was noticed after the fall.
▪
My hair had more shine than before and I found it left a stronger smell than other conditioners which I really liked.
▪
The stronger the smell gets, the more I want to get out, he said.
▪
Classes gathered round the pipe stoves which gave out a strong smell of soot.
▪
It was a strong smell , and it was getting stronger by the second.
▪
It was a creepy spot with a strong pungent smell of garlic and there was always a feeling of tension and foreboding.
▪
Nobody ever told me that freshly spilled blood has such a strong smell .
sweet
▪
The air was thick with sawdust and the sweet smell of freshly cut wood.
▪
The suppressed sound of the gunfire was still in his ears, and the sweet cordite smell hung at his nostrils.
▪
Today, the sick sweet smell from the chemical company in the industrial part of town seems especially bad.
▪
The rain had stopped and the air was filled with the sweet smell of freshly washed earth.
▪
It was hot and jammed and the air was redolent with the sickly sweet smell of cheap champagne.
▪
At once the room was filled with the sweet , fresh smell of mint.
▪
Without the bags, blood drained on the deck and filled the Huey with a sweet smell , a horribly recognizable smell.
unpleasant
▪
This is generally caused by a decomposing body or bodies polluting the water and is usually accompanied by an unpleasant smell .
▪
Aside from the unpleasant smell , not much had changed.
▪
He was conscious of feeling cold in the van and of the unpleasant smell of petrol.
▪
In spite of the name, the flower does not have an unpleasant smell .
▪
He became suddenly aware of a strange, unpleasant smell .
▪
An unpleasant smell seemed to waft from the airline bag Mary always carried to school.
▪
Such formulations are identified by a not unpleasant sweet smell .
▪
Consequently the streets of these poorer areas are strewn with rubbish and in hot weather there is frequently a most unpleasant smell .
■ VERB
fill
▪
The sludge in the Cuisinart fills the condo with smells I remember from nature trails of my childhood.
▪
The night was fine and the room was filled with the sweet smell of the flowers outside.
▪
Behind the back-to-backs, a bruised industrial sky blackens, and fills with cooking smells , and rains.
▪
Our tack room is filled with the smell of leather and saddle soap.
linger
▪
The smells lingered faintly to enchant the air even at this time of year, but the mystery of childhood had vanished.
▪
The onion smell still lingered , sharp and pungent.
▪
The smell of Warsaw lingers as that of coal.
▪
A musk smell lingered on Groves' sleeve, from where the female snake had curled around his arm.
▪
He rolls off me and passes out on the pillow, the smell of his drunkenness lingering like something live.
notice
▪
It took him only seconds to notice the smell .
▪
Last night I noticed a new smell in the house.
▪
Did you notice the smell in there?
▪
After a year his wife still appeared not to have noticed the smell of another woman on her husband's face.
remember
▪
I still remember the smell of that cool dirt.
▪
She remembered the smell of the carpets.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
come out of sth/come up smelling of roses
horsey face/smell etc
▪
They gave off a pungent, horsey smell, as if freshly cut.
wake up and smell the coffee
▪
While the field has changed with rent control nearly quashed, wake up and smell the coffee of a new day.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
A mole finds its food by smell alone.
▪
Each wine has its own unique flavor and smell .
▪
I really hate the smell of stale beer.
▪
Perfectly pure water has no smell .
▪
The smells of dead fish and rotting garbage were more than he could stand.
▪
The food looked good, but the smell was awful.
▪
The wonderful smells from the kitchen made her mouth water.
▪
There's a smell in here - open the window.
▪
There was a bad smell coming from the cupboard.
▪
We had the carpet cleaned, but we couldn't get rid of the musty smell .
▪
What's that smell ? Is something burning?
▪
Where's that smell coming from?
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪
A little while later; his eyes shot open with the smell of frying meat.
▪
And it's not just the dizzying development and the smell of money that pervades the downtown area.
▪
Rain wet de bags and de onions tek up a smell .
▪
The stench of the floor was close to him, the smell of vomit and of urine.
▪
The stuffiness in the hold was made worse by the acrid smell of unwashed bodies.
▪
There was the smell of fermenting has and citrus blossoms and ginger lilies and bonemeal and sulphur-coated urea.
▪
When I was a kid I loved the seashore for its mix of beautiful, subtle colours and strong smells.
II. verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
almost
▪
You can almost smell them now.
▪
Nevertheless, he could almost smell the stench of fear: the house was too quiet.
▪
You could almost smell the fear in their voices.
▪
You can almost smell them just by looking at them.
so
▪
Perhaps that's why it smells so terrible in there.
▪
It was not only stiff and cracked and stained, but it smelled so bad that he had to hold his breath.
▪
Jim put his arms around me and I staggered out into the night, which smelled so good.
still
▪
I could still smell it, and his breath and his sweat.
▪
For days, every time you step outside, you can still smell the smoke from this fire.
▪
I've got all her cake tins and her chopping board, which still smells very evocatively of her wonderful Wienerschnitzel.
▪
Past the house that still smells of fire.
▪
He can still smell a million dollars when it's within reach.
▪
I can still smell the ears roasting yonder where the Pauls and Sixo was.
▪
I can still smell the changing rooms.
▪
Gnoya Street still smelled of oil, of horse droppings, soap and axle grease.
strongly
▪
It may smell strongly but it is warm.
▪
Add plenty of basil to the breadcrumbs so that the mixture smells strongly of the herb.
■ NOUN
air
▪
The air smelled poisonous and dank.
▪
As I step out the door, inhaling the cool air , I smell lightness and relief.
▪
The air smelled of the black soil brought down from the mountains to make Tia Mimi s giant ferns grow tall.
▪
The air smelled fresh and cold.
▪
The air smelled of spices and there were hissing sounds from the bushes.
▪
The air smells lovely, of leeks and straw and the breeze from the sea five miles away.
▪
The air smells like a lot of things but mostly like new upholstery.
blood
▪
It had smelled blood , fresh blood.
▪
On some occasions men smell blood more easily than on others.
▪
His head was between his knees and he could smell the blood .
▪
And that will cause the Dallas Cowboys to smell blood .
▪
As soon as she reached the open door, she smelled blood .
▪
Tallis smelled blood and the more offensive stink of ordure.
▪
The sharks will really smell blood .
▪
If anyone cut themselves, he could smell the scent of blood and would scamper towards it.
body
▪
A dead body smells exactly the same as a dead animal.
▪
No smell of brandy or port or wine, but her body smell.
▪
He could feel the heat from her body , smell the soapy scent from her skin.
▪
He was so close that Polly could feel his body warmth and smell the soap he had used that morning.
breath
▪
Even at that distance Alan could smell its breath , which stank of stale blood.
▪
It smelled of perfume and breath and there were horrible little bells.
▪
He stayed where he was because he didn't want to get close enough for them to smell his breath .
▪
I could smell bourbon on his breath .
▪
They stood so close to him that he could smell their breath and see their decaying gappy teeth.
▪
Officers said they smelled alcohol on his breath but they could not compel him to submit to a Breathalyzer test or urinalysis.
▪
I smell Hollinger's dead breath .
coffee
▪
I smelled the coffee and followed my nose.
▪
Trouble is, my tenant on the second floor can smell coffee from my kitchen on the first floor.
▪
I could certainly smell coffee brewing.
▪
While the field has changed with rent control nearly quashed, wake up and smell the coffee of a new day.
▪
Wake up and smell the coffee , guys.
▪
When I woke, I smelled coffee and heard footsteps in the kitchen and the hallway.
▪
Alone, she smelled other people's coffee , other people's cakes.
fear
▪
She smelled the tang of fear in her nostrils and the taste of it in her mouth.
▪
The group of children smelled my fear and anxiety.
▪
I can feel that least black boy out there coming up the hall, smelling out for my fear .
▪
You could almost smell the fear in their voices.
▪
A marsh hawk appeared from behind and swooped low over him, perhaps smelling fear and hoping for leftovers.
▪
Through nostrils she smelled the fear and the death in this wretched band more powerfully.
fish
▪
All you could smell was boiled fish .
▪
It smelled of fish oil and something that made Wyatt think of a mattress that had been doused with beer.
▪
In the village, you could smell the fish sauce.
▪
The boy handed him a limp paper bag that smelled of tuna fish .
flower
▪
He needed to kiss her, even just gentle kisses dropped on her wind-blown hair that smelled of sunshine and flowers .
▪
But Masterson is also convincing as a woman susceptible to the lure of taking time to smell the flowers .
▪
For him there is not yet time to stop and smell the flowers .
▪
For years, there has been little time to stop and smell the flowers .
hair
▪
Look for their Hair Glistener - it leaves hair smelling irresistible and creates subtle, glittering highlights in your hair.
▪
He needed to kiss her, even just gentle kisses dropped on her wind-blown hair that smelled of sunshine and flowers.
▪
Her hair smelled of tortillas and smoke.
▪
His thick hair smelled of incense.
▪
I can smell Marie - the way her hair used to smell.
▪
Her hair smelled exactly the same as it had always done.
oil
▪
But my jokes when I was young tended to smell of oil rather.
▪
It smelled of fish oil and something that made Wyatt think of a mattress that had been doused with beer.
▪
The floor of the barn was cold stone and slimy and smelled of engine oil and damp cereals.
▪
I smelled the light oil on it.
▪
He smelled the dust and oil of three thousand miles on Mitch's jacket.
▪
The very air smelled of oil .
▪
Gnoya Street still smelled of oil , of horse droppings, soap and axle grease.
perfume
▪
They could smell her dry perfume from yards away.
▪
But he was still so close that he could smell the perfume of patchouli on the corpse's moustache.
▪
It smelled of perfume and breath and there were horrible little bells.
▪
One also wonders whether it is wise to smoke or to smell of perfume when handling horses.
▪
She had repressed the urge to reach over and touch her-this woman who smelled deliciously of perfume and powder.
▪
I keep on thinking that I can even smell her perfume .
▪
Toni smelled her perfume like roses on a fresh morning.
rat
▪
It is enough to make you smell a rat and be damned for your cynicism.
▪
He could smell a rat , and he knew just how the men had been cheated.
▪
I only began to smell a rat when he couldn't come up with the documents he claimed to have.
▪
Suffice to say, we smell a rat .
▪
She felt that he was beginning to smell a rat .
▪
I smell a rat here - I really do.
▪
Niki smelled the rat and said unless his driving contract were honoured, he would move to McLaren.
room
▪
The room began to smell of feathers and shit.
▪
The rooms smelled musty and airless, and wallpaper was peeling in great patches.
▪
I sleep in a back room , a servant's room, that smells of mildew and wet soot.
▪
It began to seem that the room smelled like cigarette smoke.
▪
Dooley came into the room , smelling of soap, with Barnabas at his side.
▪
They were married in a room smelling of varnish and floor wax, and official documents growing musty in the filing cabinets.
▪
She leads Maya indoors to a front room that smells of moisture and paint.
rose
▪
No time to stop and smell the roses ?
▪
Toni smelled her perfume like roses on a fresh morning.
scent
▪
After a while, you can't smell your own scent - but everyone else certainly can!
▪
He could smell the tiniest scent of chocolate on the wrapper.
▪
On my hands and knees and with my eyes shut, I could smell their faint scent .
▪
There were many conflicting smells -- musty scents suggestive of faded perfumes, herbal teas, and an aging woman.
▪
No other flowers were in the garden, yet I seemed to smell the strong scent of nicotiana.
▪
She could feel his breath on her cheek, and smell the faint warm scent of his skin.
▪
Even before the Court of Investigation confirmed the workers' stand, the trade unions had smelled the scent of victory.
▪
She heard the rustle of him pulling down his pyjama trousers and then she smelled the warm male scent of him.
smoke
▪
Then, smelling tobacco smoke , the word Woodbine wound into my head.
▪
For days, every time you step outside, you can still smell the smoke from this fire.
▪
He needed a bath and quickly, he imagined he could smell smoke and the sour stench of sweat from his skin.
▪
If you smell smoke , hit the floor, and crawl to the nearest exit.
▪
All the man could smell was the nasty smoke he was making.
▪
The apartment door was already standing open and the hallway smelled of stale smoke .
▪
He says that there will be no pollution, nothing will smell , no smoke will be seen.
▪
It began to seem that the room smelled like cigarette smoke .
soap
▪
He could smell the harsh carbolic soap of the orphanage, then the schoolroom with its dust and chalk.
▪
Dooley came into the room, smelling of soap , with Barnabas at his side.
▪
When he passed Stella in the corridor she could smell scented soap .
▪
The people smelled of lye soap .
▪
It had smelled like this soap today, a light, entirely distinctive smell, a little like - what flower?
▪
She passed directly behind him, so close he could smell the perfumed soap on her skin.
▪
Kate could smell Pears soap and the smell brought back memories of when she had been younger.
▪
His skin smelled of Ivory soap .
sweat
▪
She could smell the sweat on his body and feel his excited breathing.
▪
He smelled light sweat , felt spittle reaching to his chin.
▪
He could also smell his own sweat .
▪
She smelled of horse sweat and the greasy shit smell of canned butter heating on a kerosene stove.
▪
I smelled sweat and the drink on his breath.
▪
It smells of sweat and that scent Mr Azul favours.
▪
He could faintly smell her sweat , and also the lavender of the garland she wore in her hair.
■ VERB
begin
▪
I only began to smell a rat when he couldn't come up with the documents he claimed to have.
▪
Usually, the dough begins to smell yeasty and is very slow to proof, even when warmed.
▪
He looked around in alarm when he began to smell the escaping gas, and quickly noticed the smashed tap.
▪
I began to smell the odor of steak and fried potatoes and coffee cutting through the smell of hay and manure.
▪
The room began to smell of feathers and shit.
▪
John begins to smell like a bush-league version of Joe McCarthy.
▪
He went cautiously out into the field, squatted down against a clump of thistles and began to smell the wind.
▪
My whole arm began to smell positively revolting, and the pain was almost unbearable.
hear
▪
Find out what he saw, heard , smelled and tasted.
▪
It is as important as seeing or hearing or smelling .
▪
I could hear them, smell them, but I could not see anyone.
▪
Be sure to hear the sounds, smell the smells, experience the sensations.
stop
▪
For him there is not yet time to stop and smell the flowers.
▪
No time to stop and smell the roses?
▪
He did not touch them or stop to smell .
▪
For years, there has been little time to stop and smell the flowers.
touch
▪
Now I could touch and smell things.
▪
She had repressed the urge to reach over and touch her-this woman who smelled deliciously of perfume and powder.
▪
He can't touch or smell .
▪
She jetted to foreign places, touched things and smelled her fingers.
▪
There is nothing to see, touch , taste, smell , hear.
▪
Carry it around so that each one can touch and smell it.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
come out of sth/come up smelling of roses
horsey face/smell etc
▪
They gave off a pungent, horsey smell, as if freshly cut.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪
Smell these roses - aren't they lovely?
▪
Diane smelled his breath to see if he'd been drinking.
▪
Do you smell smoke?
▪
Does my breath smell ?
▪
I can smell something burning - are you sure you turned the oven off?
▪
I swear I haven't had anything to drink. Smell my breath.
▪
If you smell gas in the apartment, call this number immediately.
▪
It smells like a hospital in here - has someone been using disinfectant?
▪
Many people like the taste of jackfruit, but it smells terrible.
▪
Not only does he smell bad - he's mean and ugly too.
▪
She smelled of alcohol and was unsteady on her feet.
▪
Take the garbage out before it starts to smell .
▪
The house whole house smells of garlic - what are you cooking?
▪
The meat smelled horrible, and I refused to eat it.
▪
This hand cream smells lovely, what's it called?
▪
We need to clean the cat's litter box - it's starting to smell .
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪
For one shot, he zooms in over a sawmill, low enough to smell the fresh-cut lumber.
▪
He could even smell a packet of cigarettes hidden in a coat pocket several metres away!
▪
He thought he could smell dope; grass or resin fumes.
▪
Hoist your honker to the skies and smell the burning charcoal and dripping, burning fat.
▪
Look for their Hair Glistener - it leaves hair smelling irresistible and creates subtle, glittering highlights in your hair.
▪
She could smell the chemical effluent off the agricultural land: she couldn't remember having noticed that stench before.
▪
The snow smelled clean, but like a hospital.
▪
Trouble is, my tenant on the second floor can smell coffee from my kitchen on the first floor.