stench
English
Etymology
From (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Middle English stench, from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Old English stenċ (“stench, odor, fragrance”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Germanic *stankwiz (“smell, fragrance, odor”), from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewg- (“to push, hit”). Cognate with Dutch stank (“stench, odor”), German Stank, Gestank (“stench, odor, smell”), Danish stank (“stench”), Swedish stank (“stench”), Icelandic stækja (“stench”).
Pronunciation
- Rhymes: -ɛntʃ
Noun
stench (plural stenches)
- a strong foul smell, a stink
- (figurative) a foul quality
- the stench of political corruption
- (obsolete) A smell or odour, not necessarily bad.
- (Can we date this quote by Dryden and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- Clouds of savoury stench involve the sky.
- (Can we date this quote by Dryden and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived terms
Translations
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Verb
stench (third-person singular simple present stenches, present participle stenching, simple past and past participle stenched)
- (obsolete) To cause to emit a disagreeable odour; to cause to stink.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Young to this entry?)
- To stanch.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Harvey to this entry?)
Middle English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Old English stenċ, from Proto-Germanic *stankwiz. Conflated with Old English stynċ, from Proto-Germanic *stunkwiz.
Pronunciation
Noun
stench (plural stenches)
- A stench; a displeasing or repulsive smell.
- Something which causes or has such a repulsive smell.
- The smell of the fires of hell (thought to be of sulphur)
- The smell or odour of sinfulness or iniquity.
- (rare, Early Middle English) A smell or scent (good or bad).
Derived terms
Descendants
References
- “stench (n.)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-10-24.
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old English
- English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- Rhymes:English/ɛntʃ
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English terms with obsolete senses
- Requests for date/Dryden
- English verbs
- Requests for quotations/Young
- Requests for quotations/Harvey
- en:Smell
- Middle English terms inherited from Old English
- Middle English terms derived from Old English
- Middle English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic
- Middle English terms derived from Proto-Germanic
- Middle English terms with IPA pronunciation
- Middle English lemmas
- Middle English nouns
- Middle English terms with rare senses
- Early Middle English
- enm:Religion
- enm:Smell