# smell

Pronunciation: say "SMEL" /smɛl/

## Noun

1. A sensation, pleasant or unpleasant, detected by breathing in air that carries tiny particles of a substance.
   - Simple: A feeling you get through your nose when tiny bits of something float in the air.
   - _The smell of rain on hot pavement is unmistakable._
   - _Skunks defend themselves with a powerful smell that lingers for days._
4. The bodily sense that detects odors, located in the nose.
   - Simple: The power to notice smells using your nose.
   - _Many smokers find that their sense of smell grows weaker over the years._
   - _Many nocturnal animals depend on smell to navigate in darkness._
7. A trace or suggestion of a particular quality, especially something suspicious or improper.
   - Simple: A sign of a particular quality, especially something bad or dishonest.
   - _The contract had the smell of something illegal hidden in the fine print._
   - _Reporters picked up the smell of a cover-up around the mayor's office._

## Verb

2. To have a particular smell, whether pleasant or unpleasant, often described with like or of.
   - Simple: To give off a certain smell, good or bad.
   - _The kitchen smelled of garlic and herbs._
   - _Wet dogs smell terrible._
3. To perceive an odor through the nose.
   - Simple: To notice a smell using your nose.
   - _Can you smell the gas leak?_
   - _He smelled the milk to check whether it had spoiled._
5. To give off an unpleasant odor; to stink.
   - Simple: To give off a bad smell.
   - _The locker room smelled after the game._
   - _Compost can smell if it isn't turned regularly._
6. To detect or perceive something, especially something concealed; often used with out.
   - Simple: To find out or notice something hidden.
   - _Experienced traders smell a bad deal before signing._
   - _The dog smelled out the hidden treats in seconds._
8. To carry a trace or suggestion of a particular quality.
   - Simple: To seem to show signs of a certain quality, good or bad.
   - _The proposal smells of compromise rather than principle._
   - _His careful answers smell of rehearsal._

## Verb

9. To pay attention to; to give heed to. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To pay close attention to something.

## Origin

The verb comes from Middle English smellen, and the noun from Middle English smel. Their earlier history is uncertain. An unrecorded Old English verb *smiellan has been proposed. A connection with Dutch and Low German words meaning “to smolder” has also been suggested, but is unproven.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/smell (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).