What does "smell" mean?

1. (an odour) the quality of something that you notice with your nose. 2. (the sense) the ability to notice things with your nose. 3. (to perceive an odour) to notice or recognize a scent using your nose. 4. (to have a scent) to have a particular quality that people notice with their noses. 5. (to seem suspicious) to feel like a situation is wrong or dishonest.

How do you use "smell"?

Often used with 'of' or 'like' when followed by a noun.

Is it correct to say "The flowers smell beautifully."?

No — say "The flowers smell beautiful.". When 'smell' describes a quality, use an adjective, not an adverb.

smell

n. · v.

US //ˈsmɛɫ// UK //smˈɛl// smell

Irregular verb past smelled / smelt past participle smelled / smelt

1 an odour (n.)
A2 Elementary

the quality of something that you notice with your nose.

a sensation, whether pleasant or unpleasant, detected by the olfactory system.

Example

The sweet smell of fresh bread filled the entire kitchen.

Example

The pungent smell of chlorine greeted the swimmers as they entered the indoor pool area.
2 the sense (n.)
B1 Intermediate

the ability to notice things with your nose.

the faculty or sense that detects and perceives odours.

Example

Dogs have a much stronger sense of smell than humans do.

Example

The patient reported a temporary loss of smell following the viral infection, which significantly affected her appetite.
- olfaction

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3 to perceive an odour (v.)
A2 Elementary

to notice or recognize a scent using your nose.

to perceive or detect the odour of something by means of the olfactory organs.

Example

Can you smell the smoke coming from the neighbor's garden?

Example

She leaned down to smell the roses, noting the delicate fragrance that the morning dew had intensified.
- scent
- sniff
4 to have a scent (v.)
A2 Elementary

to have a particular quality that people notice with their noses.

to emit an odour; often functions as a copular verb followed by an adjective or a prepositional phrase.

Example

The old books smell of dust and paper.

Example

The damp basement smelled strongly of mildew, suggesting that the pipes had been leaking for several weeks.

Usage

Often used with 'of' or 'like' when followed by a noun.
- reek
- stink
Pitfall

The flowers smell beautifully.

The flowers smell beautiful.

When 'smell' describes a quality, use an adjective, not an adverb.
5 to seem suspicious (v.)
C1 Advanced Informal

to feel like a situation is wrong or dishonest.

to suggest a particular quality or character, especially one that is suspicious or unpleasant.

Example

Something about his story smells fishy to me.

Example

The sudden withdrawal of the lead investor smells of a desperate attempt to avoid a public scandal.
- seem
- appear

Origin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *smel- Proto-West Germanic *smalljan Old English *smiellan Middle English smellen English smell 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.

Word family

Nounsmell
Adjectivesmelly

Idioms14 entries