From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
smell
n 1: the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the
nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous
form; "she loved the smell of roses" [syn: odor,
odour, olfactory sensation, olfactory perception]
2: any property detected by the olfactory system [syn:
olfactory property, aroma, odor, odour, scent]
3: 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" [syn: spirit,
tone, feel, feeling, flavor, flavour, look]
4: the faculty of smell [syn: sense of smell, olfaction,
olfactory modality]
5: the act of perceiving the odor of something [syn:
smelling]
v 1: inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense
2: emit an odor; "The soup smells good"
3: smell bad; "He rarely washes, and he smells"
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Smell \Smell\, n. [OE. smel, smil, smul, smeol. See Smell, v.
t.] (Physiol.)
1. The sense or faculty by which certain qualities of bodies
are perceived through the instrumentally of the olfactory
nerves. See Sense.
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2. The quality of any thing or substance, or emanation
therefrom, which affects the olfactory organs; odor;
scent; fragrance; perfume; as, the smell of mint.
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Breathing the smell of field and grove. --Milton.
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That which, above all others, yields the sweetest
smell in the air, is the violent. --Bacon.
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Syn: Scent; odor; perfume; fragrance.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Smell \Smell\ (sm[e^]l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Smelled, Smelt;
p. pr. & vb. n. Smelling.] [OE. smellen, smillen, smullen;
cf. LG. smellen, smelen, sm["o]len, schmelen, to smoke, to
reek, D. smeulen to smolder, and E. smolder. Cf. Smell, n.]
1. 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.
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2. To detect or perceive, as if by the sense of smell; to
scent out; -- often with out. "I smell a device." --Shak.
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Can you smell him out by that? --Shak.
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3. To give heed to. [Obs.]
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From that time forward I began to smellthe Word of
God, and forsook the school doctors. --Latimer.
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To smell a rat, to have a sense of something wrong, not
clearly evident; to have reason for suspicion. [Colloq.]
To smell out, to find out by sagacity. [Colloq.]
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Smell \Smell\, v. i.
1. To affect the olfactory nerves; to have an odor or scent;
-- often followed by of; as, to smell of smoke, or of
musk.
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2. To have a particular tincture or smack of any quality; to
savor; as, a report smells of calumny.
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Praises in an enemy are superfluous, or smell of
craft. --Milton.
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3. To exercise the sense of smell. --Ex. xxx. 38.
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4. To exercise sagacity. --Shak.
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