smell
verbEtymology
From Middle English smellen, smillen, smyllen, smullen, from Old English *smyllan, *smiellan (“to smell, emit fumes”), from Proto-West Germanic *smallijan (“to glow, burn, smoulder”), from Proto-Indo-European *smel- (“to burn, smoke, smoulder; tar, pitch”). The noun is from Middle English smel, smil, smul (“smell, odour”). Related to Saterland Frisian smeele (“to smoulder”), Middle Dutch smōlen (“to burn, smoulder”) (whence Dutch smeulen (“to smoulder”)), Middle Low German smölen (“to be hazy, be dusty”) (whence Low German smölen (“smoulder”)), Low German smullen (“emit smoke”), West Flemish smoel (“stuffy, muggy, hazy”), Danish smul (“dust, powder”), Lithuanian smilkyti (“to incense, fumigate”), Lithuanian smilkti (“to smudge, smolder, fume, reek”), Lithuanian smalkinti (“to fume”), Middle Irish smál, smól, smúal (“fire, gleed, embers, ashes”), Russian смола́ (smolá, “resin, tar”). Compare smoulder, smother.
7 senses
To sense a smell or smells.
- I can smell fresh bread.
- Smell the milk and tell me whether it's gone off.
Broadly To detect or perceive; often with out.
- I smell a device.c. 1601–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Twelfe Night, or What You Will”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii]:
Followed by like or of if descriptive: to have a particular smell, whether good or bad.
- The roses smell lovely.
- Her feet smell of cheese.
3 more examples
- The drunkard smelt like a brewery.
- Philander went into the next room[…]and came back with a salt mackerel[…]. Next he put the mackerel in a fry-pan, and the shanty began to smell like a Banks boat just in from a v'yage.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VIII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
- Este's been losing sleep / Her husband's acting different and it smells like infidelity2021, Taylor Swift, “No Body, No Crime”:
Broadly To smell of; to have a smell of
- I do smell all horse-piss1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
Without a modifier To smell bad; to stink.
- Ew, this restroom smells (loathsomely).
Figuratively To have a particular tincture or smack of any quality; to savour.
- A report smells of calumny.
- Praises in an enemy are superfluous, or smell of craft.1649, J[ohn] Milton, ΕΙΚΟΝΟΚΛΆΣΤΗΣ [Eikonoklástēs] […], London: […] Matthew Simmons, […], →OCLC:
Obsolete To give heed to.
- So from that tyme forwarde I began to ſmell the word of god, and forſoke the ſchole doctors and ſuch foolries.1552, Hughe Latymer [i.e., Hugh Latimer], Augustine Bernher, compiler, “[The First Sermon]”, in Certayn Godly Sermons, Made uppon the Lords Prayer, […], London: […] John Day, […], published 1562, →OCLC, folio 5, verso:
- Derived terms
49 terms
besmell, come out smelling like a rose, come out smelling of roses, come up smelling like a rose, come up smelling of roses, foresmell, foul-smelling, outsmell, resmell, smellable, smell a fox, smell a rat, smell blood, smell blood in the water, smellevision, smell fishy, smellfungus, smellie, smelling bottle, smelling salt, smell like a rose, smell like a tart's bedroom, smell like a tart's boudoir, smell like a tart's handbag, smell like a tart's handkerchief, smell of an oily rag, smell of the lamp, smell of the shop, smell one's own farts, smell out, smell test, smell the barn, smell the coffee, smell the roses, smell up, smell what someone is stepping in, smelly, smell ya later, smell you later, smock-smelling, stop and smell the flowers, stop and smell the roses, stop to smell the roses, sweet-smelling, unsmell, unsmelled, wake up and smell the ashes, wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell the roses