smell
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From Middle English smellen, smyllen, smullen; cf. Dutch smeulen, cognate to Low German smölen, smelen (“‘to smolder’”); Danish smul (“‘dust, powder’”). Cf. smolder, smother.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
smell (countable and uncountable; plural smells)
- A sensation, pleasant or unpleasant, detected by inhaling air (or, the case of water-breathing animals, water) carrying airborne molecules of a substance.
- I love the smell of fresh bread.
- (physiology) The sense that detects smells.
[edit] Synonyms
- (sensation):
- (sense): olfaction (in technical use), sense of smell
- See also Wikisaurus:smell
[edit] Translations
sensation
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sense
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[edit] Verb
to smell (third-person singular simple present smells, present participle smelling, simple past and past participle smelled or smelt)
- (transitive) To sense a smell or smells.
- I can smell fresh bread.
- Smell the milk and tell me whether it's gone off.
- (transitive, followed by like or of) To have the smell (of).
- His feet smell of cheese.
- The bum smelt like a brewery.
- (intransitive) To have a particular smell, whether good or bad.
- The roses smell lovely.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Derived terms
Terms derived from the verb smell
[edit] Translations
sense a smell or smells
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have the smell of
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have a particular smell
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- smell in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
- smell in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
