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.
Phrases and idioms:
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.
Derivatives:
smellable adj. smeller n. smell-less adj.
Etymology: ME smel(le), prob. f. OE