/ stɪŋk; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( stank / stæŋk; NAmE / stunk / stʌŋk; NAmE / stunk , stunk ) [ v ] stink (of sth) ( informal )
1.
to have a strong, unpleasant smell
SYN reek :
Her breath stank of garlic.
It stinks of smoke in here.
2.
to seem very bad, unpleasant or dishonest :
The whole business stank of corruption.
'What do you think of the idea?' 'I think it stinks .'
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PHRASAL VERBS
- stink sth out
■ noun ( informal )
1.
[ C , usually sing. ] a very unpleasant smell
SYN reek :
the stink of sweat and urine
2.
[ sing. ] a lot of trouble and anger about sth :
The whole business caused quite a stink.
We'll kick up a stink (= complain a lot and cause trouble) if they try to close the school down.
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English stincan , of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch and German stinken , also to stench .