Definitions for smell
smɛlsmell

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. smell, odor, odour, olfactory sensation, olfactory perception(noun)

   the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form

   "she loved the smell of roses"

2. olfactory property, smell, aroma, odor, odour, scent(noun)

   any property detected by the olfactory system

3. spirit, tone, feel, feeling, flavor, flavour, look, smell(noun)

   the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people

   "the feel of the city excited him"; "a clergyman improved the tone of the meeting"; "it had the smell of treason"

4. smell, sense of smell, olfaction, olfactory modality(noun)

   the faculty that enables us to distinguish scents

5. smell, smelling(verb)

   the act of perceiving the odor of something

6. smell(verb)

   inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense

7. smell(verb)

   emit an odor

   "The soup smells good"

8. smell(verb)

   smell bad

   "He rarely washes, and he smells"

9. smack, reek, smell(verb)

   have an element suggestive (of something)

   "his speeches smacked of racism"; "this passage smells of plagiarism"

10. smell, smell out, sense(verb)

    become aware of not through the senses but instinctively

    "I sense his hostility"; "i smell trouble"; "smell out corruption"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. smell(Noun)

   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.

2. smell(Noun)

   The sense that detects odours.

3. smell(Verb)

   To sense a smell or smells.

4. smell(Verb)

   To have a particular smell, whether good or bad; if descriptive, followed by "like" or "of".

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Smell(noun)

   to perceive by the olfactory nerves, or organs of smell; to have a sensation of, excited through the nasal organs when affected by the appropriate materials or qualities; to obtain the scent of; as, to smell a rose; to smell perfumes

   Etymology: [OE. smellen, smillen, smullen; cf. LG. smellen, smelen, smlen, schmelen, to smoke, to reek, D. smeulen to smolder, and E. smolder. Cf. Smell, n.]

2. Smell(noun)

   to detect or perceive, as if by the sense of smell; to scent out; -- often with out

   Etymology: [OE. smellen, smillen, smullen; cf. LG. smellen, smelen, smlen, schmelen, to smoke, to reek, D. smeulen to smolder, and E. smolder. Cf. Smell, n.]

3. Smell(noun)

   to give heed to

   Etymology: [OE. smellen, smillen, smullen; cf. LG. smellen, smelen, smlen, schmelen, to smoke, to reek, D. smeulen to smolder, and E. smolder. Cf. Smell, n.]

4. Smell(verb)

   to affect the olfactory nerves; to have an odor or scent; -- often followed by of; as, to smell of smoke, or of musk

   Etymology: [OE. smellen, smillen, smullen; cf. LG. smellen, smelen, smlen, schmelen, to smoke, to reek, D. smeulen to smolder, and E. smolder. Cf. Smell, n.]

5. Smell(verb)

   to have a particular tincture or smack of any quality; to savor; as, a report smells of calumny

   Etymology: [OE. smellen, smillen, smullen; cf. LG. smellen, smelen, smlen, schmelen, to smoke, to reek, D. smeulen to smolder, and E. smolder. Cf. Smell, n.]

6. Smell(verb)

   to exercise the sense of smell

   Etymology: [OE. smellen, smillen, smullen; cf. LG. smellen, smelen, smlen, schmelen, to smoke, to reek, D. smeulen to smolder, and E. smolder. Cf. Smell, n.]

7. Smell(verb)

   to exercise sagacity

   Etymology: [OE. smellen, smillen, smullen; cf. LG. smellen, smelen, smlen, schmelen, to smoke, to reek, D. smeulen to smolder, and E. smolder. Cf. Smell, n.]

8. Smell(verb)

   the sense or faculty by which certain qualities of bodies are perceived through the instrumentally of the olfactory nerves. See Sense

   Etymology: [OE. smellen, smillen, smullen; cf. LG. smellen, smelen, smlen, schmelen, to smoke, to reek, D. smeulen to smolder, and E. smolder. Cf. Smell, n.]

9. Smell(verb)

   the quality of any thing or substance, or emanation therefrom, which affects the olfactory organs; odor; scent; fragrance; perfume; as, the smell of mint

   Etymology: [OE. smellen, smillen, smullen; cf. LG. smellen, smelen, smlen, schmelen, to smoke, to reek, D. smeulen to smolder, and E. smolder. Cf. Smell, n.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Smell

   smel, v.i. to affect the nose: to have odour: to use the sense of smell.—v.t. to perceive by the nose:—pa.t. and pa.p. smelled or smelt.—n. the quality of bodies which affects the nose: odour: perfume: the sense which perceives this quality.—ns. Smell′er; Smell′-feast, a greedy fellow; Smell′ing, the sense by which smells are perceived; Smell′ing-bott′le, a bottle containing smelling-salts, or the like; Smell′ing-salts, a preparation of ammonium carbonate with lavender, &c., used as a stimulant in faintness, &c.; Smell′-trap, a drain-trap.—adj. Smell′y, having a bad smell.—Smell a rat (see Rat); Smell out, to find out by prying. [Allied to Low Ger. smelen, Dut. smeulen, to smoulder.]

U.S. National Library of Medicine(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Smell

   The ability to detect scents or odors, such as the function of OLFACTORY RECEPTOR NEURONS.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. smell

   The ability to perceive and sense through the nose and related elements.

   My husband did smell my perfume as he was very complimentary.

   Submitted by MaryC on December 31, 2019  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'smell' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3803

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'smell' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2408

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'smell' in Nouns Frequency: #1374

4. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'smell' in Verbs Frequency: #629

Anagrams for smell »

1. Mells

How to pronounce smell?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say smell in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of smell in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of smell in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of smell in a Sentence

1. Erica Strausssaid she:

   It’s a fantastic moisturizer, the only drawback is the smell.

2. Sara Goza:

   The first thing that hit me when we walked in the door was the smell. It was the smell of sweat, urine and feces, no amount of time spent in these facilities is safe for children.

3. Kevork Altounian:

   In a world of devils and filth... smell the daffodils...

4. J. R. R. Tolkien:

   The world has changed. I see it in the water. I feel it in the Earth. I smell it in the air. Much that once was is lost, For none now live who remember it.

5. Charles de LEUSSE:

   Money has no smell", ... but smells the profiteers. ("L'argent n'a pas d'odeur", ... - Mais sent les profiteurs.)”

Images & Illustrations of smell

Popularity rank by frequency of use