smell

smell1 [ smel ] noun **

1. ) count the pleasant or unpleasant quality of something that you notice when you breathe in through your nose:

This paint gives off a very strong smell.

unpleasant smells

smell of: There's a delicious smell of fresh bread coming from the kitchen.

a ) an unpleasant smell:

Whatever is that smell?

─ compare AROMA

2. ) uncount the ability to notice or recognize smells:

Some experts can tell by smell alone what ingredients are in a dish.

sense of smell: Dogs have an excellent sense of smell.

3. ) count usually singular an instance of smelling something:

Take a smell of this perfume.

smell

smell 2 [ smel ] (past tense and past participle smelled or smelt [ smelt ] ) verb **

▸ 1 have particular smell

▸ 2 notice/recognize smell

▸ 3 put nose close to smell

▸ 4 be able to smell things

▸ 5 feel something will happen

▸ 6 be illegal/dishonest

▸ + PHRASES

1. ) linking verb to have a particular smell:

This room smells a little damp.

a strong-smelling perfume

This milk smells off (=no longer fresh).

smell of: The laboratory smelled strongly of chemicals.

smell like: It smells like a bar in here.

a ) intransitive never progressive to have an unpleasant smell:

His feet really smell.

2. ) transitive never progressive to notice or recognize the smell of something:

Sasha could smell the sweet aroma of warm chocolate.

Do you smell gas?

3. ) transitive to experience the smell of something by putting your nose close to it:

Come and smell these roses.

4. ) intransitive never progressive to be able to experience the smell of things:

I can't smell at all with this cold.

5. ) transitive to feel that something is going to happen, usually something bad:

smell danger/trouble: I could just smell trouble in that club.

6. ) intransitive to be illegal or dishonest:

I can't put my finger on it, but something about this deal really smells.

smell blood

to notice that an opponent is weak and that you have the opportunity to defeat them

smell a rat INFORMAL

to believe that something dishonest, illegal, or wrong has happened

=> ROSE

,smell `up phrasal verb transitive

to cause a place or person to have an unpleasant smell:

That burnt fish is smelling up the whole house.