▪ I. smell, n.
(smɛl)
Forms: α. 2–7 smel (3 smeal, 4 smeol), 3–6 smelle, 4– smell. β. 2–4 smul, 4 smil, smyl, 5–6 smyll.
[Related to smell v. The OE. equivalent is stenc stench.]
1. The sense of which the nose is the organ; the faculty of smelling. Now usually in sense, organ, etc., of smell.
| (a) c 1200 Trin Coll. Hom. 183 Hie..binimeð þe eien here sene,..muð here smel. a 1225 Ancr. R. 104 Smel of neose is þe ueorðe of þe vif wittes. 1567 J. Maplet Gr. Forest 106 He is not onely of most swift pace, but also of smell. 1599 Davies Immort. Soul xvii. i. (1714) 72 In the Nostrils she doth use the Smell. 1617 Moryson Itin. iii. 35 He who hath a quicke smell, is troubled with more stinkes, then he is refreshed with sweet odours. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 44 Wild Thyme and Sav'ry..Sweet to the Taste, and fragrant to the Smell. 1712–3 Swift Jrnl. to Stella 3 Jan., I have no smell yet, but my cold something better. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) III. 317 He stops to examine, by his smell,..the emanations that may come either from his enemy or his prey. 1805 A. Duncan Mar. Chron. III. 145 A certain brackish flavor, offensive both to the taste and smell. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VII. 324 Smell was impaired on the side of the lesion. |
| (b) 1710 J. Clarke tr. Rohault's Nat. Philos. (1729) I. 179 The Power of exciting the Sensation of Smell in us. 1851 Carpenter Man. Phys. (ed. 2) 549 The lower Mammalia, in which the organ of smell is highly developed. 1872 Huxley Physiol. viii. 194 The organ of the sense of smell is the delicate mucous membrane which lines a part of the nasal cavities. 1900 Pollok & Thom Sports Burma ii. 40 Elephants have a very keen sense of smell. |
2. a. That property of things which affects the olfactory organ, whether agreeably or otherwise; odour, perfume, aroma; stench, stink.
| α a 1175 Lamb. Hom. 53 Þurh þe sweote smel of þe chese he bicherreð monie mus to þe stoke. c 1220 Bestiary 747 in O.E. Misc., Ut of his ðrote cumeð a smel. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1588 Swiðe swote smeal com anan þrefter. a 1300 Cursor M. 1014 Flours þar es wit suete smelles. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 114 Þe hous was fillid of smel of þe oynement. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xviii. 84 Þe water chaungez diuersely his sauour and his smell. c 1440 Alph. Tales 96 Sownd of watir rynyng, & syngyng of burdis, and gude smell of flowris. 1508 Dunbar Tua Mariit Wemen 33 Fragrant, all full of fresche odour fynest of smell. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 90 Muske though it be sweet in ye smel, is sowre in the smacke. 1617 Moryson Itin. i. 5 The streets are broad, but very filthy and full of ill smels. 1667 Milton P.L. v. 379 The Silvan Lodge..that like Pomona's Arbour smil'd With flourets dec't and fragrant smells. 1747 Tricks of Town laid open (ed. 3) 19 He's distinguishable from the rest of his Species, both by his Smell, Garb, Shape and Aspect. 1774 Goldsm. Nat. Hist. (1776) II. 184 As smells are often rendered agreeable by habit, so also tastes may be. 1847 Helps Friends in C. i. iii. 33 There was such a rich smell of pines. 1885 Law Times LXXIX. 74/2 There was a nasty smell about the premises. |
| β c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 99 On þe holi fleis bileueð þe shap and hiu and smul of ouelete, and on þe holi blod hew and smul of win. c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 8 A suote smul þare cam of heom þat smelde in-to al þat lond. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1009 Hii deieþ þoru smul of þe lond. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) IV. 137 Þe smyl þerof slouȝ boþe bestes and foules. 1475 Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.) 70 The herbers of so soote smyllis. |
b. An aromatic substance, or the use of this. rare.
| a 1533 Ld. Berners Golden Bk. M. Aurel. (1535) Dd ij b, The vices that they brought [from Asia] to Rome:..The patritiens bearyng Measques, the Plebeyens usynge smelles. 1697 Phil. Trans. XIX. 480 All Methods of Cure in the Paroxysm [of apoplexy], are ridiculous and useless, except Smells, and Blooding in the Jugular. |
3. fig. a. A trace, suggestion, or tinge of something. Also without article, or with adj. Hence, the special, indefinable, or subtle character of the object, event, etc., described.
| c 1475 Henryson Orpheus & Eurydice 25 Off forebearis thay tuke tarage and smell. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 140 This saiyng hath scacely any smelle or sauour of Diogenes, although he beareth the name of it. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 151 To haue a smack and smel of auncient Latium. 1617 Hieron Wks. 129 There is with Thee not so much as any smell or shadow of iniustice. a 1688 Bunyan Saints' Privilege Wks. 1855 I. 669 Without the least smell or tang of imperfection. 1702 S. Sewall Diary (1882) III. 398 Mrs. Thacher..troubled at her Marriage to Mr. Kemp,..some smell of Relation between them. 1882 Nature XXVI. 59 The methods have a German ‘smell’. 1948 ‘N. Shute’ No Highway ii. 38 Fifteen years in the aircraft industry... One gets to know the smell of things like this. 1974 J. Thomson Long Revenge iii. 40 The smell of the case had come back to him..and he had the feeling that there was a great deal more to it. |
b. That quality by which anything is felt or suspected to be near at hand.
| 1691 J. Norris Pract. Disc. 36 They..won't so much as come within the Smell of Danger. 1865 Kingsley Herew. xxx, My spirit likes the smell of gold as well as yours. 1973 Times 19 Dec. 14/7 Things are looking up: there is a smell of success in the air. 1981 Listener 2 July 3/1 There's a smell of success: people really think they can shift governments. |
4. An act of smelling; a sniff. Also fig.
| c 1560 Ingelend Disobedient Child (Percy Soc.) 16 He hath of knaverye tooke such a smell. Ibid. 45 After that I had taken a smell Of their good wyll and fervent love. 1706 E. Ward Wooden World Diss. (1708) 16 So many hundred poor Souls, that would reckon it a Blessing to have but one savory Smell at his Flesh-pots. 1817 Scott Let. in Lockhart (1837) IV. ii. 66 What do you think Constable would give for a smell of it? 1878 J. S. Campion On Frontier (ed. 2) 25 The winner gets a drink and the losers a smell at the cork of the bottle. |
5. attrib., as smell-reach, smell-sense; smell fox, the wood anemone, Anemone nemorosa; smell-trap, a trap to intercept and carry off bad smells.
| a 1652 Brome Mad Couple well matched iv. i, Out of the smell-reach of your Lord's perfum'd gloves. 1851 Kingsley Yeast vi, Among high art and painted glass, spade farms, and model smell-traps. 1887 Pall Mall G. 10 Aug. 5/1 A guardian affected by anosmia, or absence of the smell-sense. 1892 C. M. Yonge Old Woman's Outlook 49 The beloved Anemone nemorosa—the wind⁓flower—or, as the village children unpoetically call it, ‘smell foxes’. 1898 ― John Keble's Parishes xv. 172 Smellfox, anemone. 1931 M. Grieve Mod. Herbal I. 34 Anemone (Wood)..Synonyms. Crowfoot, Windflower, Smell Fox. |
▪ II. smell, v.
(smɛl)
Forms: α. 3–5 smellen (5 -yn), 3 smeallen; 2–6 smelle, 4–7 smel, 4– smell. pa. tense 4–6 smelde (4 smeld), 5– smelled (6 Sc. smellit), 6– smelt. pa. pple. 3 i-smelled, 3, 6– smelled, 5 -id, 7– smelt. β. 2–4 smullen, 4 smille, 4–5 smylle. pa. tense 4 smulde, smilde.
[Early ME. smellen and smüllen, no doubt of OE. origin, but not recorded, and not represented in any of the cognate languages.
In the pa. tense and pple. both smelled and smelt are in use, but the latter is now the more frequent of the two in British English.]
I. trans.
1. a. To have perception of (an object, odour, etc.) by means of the olfactory sense.
to smell powder: see powder n.1 3 b.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 153 Hwenne þe nose bið open to smelle unlofne breð. a 1240 Ureisun in O.E. Hom. I. 189 Of al þet ich abbe..wið neose ismelled. a 1300 Cursor M. 23456 (Edin.), In þis lif hauis man gret liking..Swet speceri to thef and smel. c 1350 Leg. Rood (1871) 57 Anon þer com so swete a smul..Þat al hit smulde wiþ gret Ioye þat in þe cuntre weren þere. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xvi. 372 Whan mawgis had passed over the water bayard smelled hym & began to crye. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xxiv. (Percy Soc.) 109 The nose, also, every ayre doth smel. 1589 Nashe M. Marprelate Wks. (Grosart) I. 80 As good a Hound for his sent to smell a feast as euer man sawe. 1611 Bible Tobit viii. 3 The which smell, when the euill spirit had smelled, hee fled into..Egypt. 1691 tr. Emilianne's Observ. Journ. Naples 89 The Mole, it seems,..no sooner had smelt the Oar, but crept into another Hole near to it. 1779 G. Keate Sketches fr. Nat. (ed. 2) II. 209 Paris may be smelt five miles before you arrive at it. 1784 Cowper Tiroc. 830 Civeted fellows, smelt ere they are seen. 1833 M. Scott Tom Cringle iii, A boy, who had seldom smelt powder fired in anger before. 1860 Dickens Uncomm. Trav. xvii, I can smell the heavy resinous incense as I pass the church. |
b. To inhale the odour or scent of (a thing); to sniff at; to examine in this way.
| 1830 G. Cruikshank Gentl. in Black i. (1831) 5 ‘Confound this head-ache.’..‘Pshaw! pshaw! smell this bottle,’ said the stranger. 1845 Encycl. Metrop. XXV. 241/1 To smell each other's head or neck is the only mode of salutation practised. 1886 C. E. Pascoe Lond. of To-day xl. (ed. 3) 343 They import from Paris..flowers so natural that one is tempted to smell them. |
2. a. To perceive as if by smell; esp. to detect, discern, or discover by natural shrewdness, sagacity, or instinct; to suspect, to have an inkling of, to divine.
to smell the ground, of ships: see ground n. 2 b.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 216 Men schullen in spirit smelle þe swettenesse & þe holynesse of iesu crist & his lif. 1382 ― Job xxxix. 25 Aferr he smellith bataile. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI, 136 b, He secretly smelled, that some men priuely disdained his aduancement. a 1553 Udall Royster D. ii. iii, If I beginne first, he will smell all my purpose. 1635 E. Pagitt Christianogr. ii. vi. (1636) 61 Lest the Lay people should smell their Idolatrie. 1668 Pepys Diary 30 Aug., Lord Brouncker,..I perceive, and the rest, do smell that it comes from me, but dare not find fault with me. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull (1727) 56 We were overjoyed..not smelling what was at bottom of the plot. 1798 Wolcot (P. Pindar) Tales of the Hoy Wks. 1812 IV. 408 The people never smelt the cheat. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. iii. vii, A victorious Parlement smells new danger. 1885 A. B. Ellis W. African Isl. xi. 267 The reverend father at once smelt a miracle. |
b. to smell a rat: see rat n.1 2 a.
3. To search or find out by, or as by, the sense of smell. Chiefly fig.
| 1538 Bale Three Laws iii, And hast thou so longe dyssembled thus with me. Infidelitas. Yea, for aduauntage, to smell out your subtylyte. 1579 E. K. Gloss. to Spenser's Sheph. Cal. June 25 They woulde..smell out the vntruth. 1629 Wadsworth Pilgr. viii. 84 Smelling vs out to be English, [they] made vs rise out of our beds. 1688 S. Penton Guardian's Instruction (1897) 29 Humility and want of Learning (which Children are apt to smell out). 1756 M. Calderwood Jrnl. (1884) 339 The Scots folks have an excellent nose to smell out their Countryfolks. 1811 Sporting Mag. XXXVII. 76 To smell out a little bargain. 1821 Scott Kenilw. xxvii, I never smell out a secret, but I try to be either at the right or the wrong end of it. 1892 Rider Haggard Nada 12 A rich man..had lost some cattle, and came with gifts to Noma, praying him to smell them out. |
4. To distinguish (one thing from another) by the smell. Chiefly fig.
| 1582 in Scoones Four C. Eng. Lett. 39, I know your L. will soone smell deuises from simplicity, trueth from trecherie. a 1592 Greene Jas. IV, i. ii, I can smell a knave from a rat. 1829 Landor Imag. Conv. Wks. 1853 II. 7/2 The judges there can smell silver from gold through a Russia-leather portmanteau. |
5. To find or make (one's way) by the sense of smell. Also fig.
| 1605 Shakes. Lear iii. vii. 93 Go thrust him out at gates, and let him smell His way to Douer. 1838 T. Mitchell Clouds of Aristoph. 82 He and his school were provided with noses, which smelt their way into sources of knowledge. |
II. intr.
6. a. To exercise, employ, make use of, the sense of smell in relation to a specified object. Const. at, of (now U.S.), † on, or to († unto).
The const. to is by far the most frequent down to the 19th cent., during which at has become usual.
| (a) c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 35 Mid þe nose þarto te smullen. ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 1669 To pulle a rose of al that route..And smellen to it wher I wente. 1477 Norton Ordin. Alch. v. in Ashmole (1652) 71 It is not wholesome to smell to some Cole. 1545 T. Raynalde Byrth Mankynde 132 Let the chyld smell to rue, and to asafetida. 1586 B. Young Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iv. 191 b, Lord William,..in taking of the Cup, did smell to the wine. 1607 Markham Caval. ii. (1617) 32 This Saddle when you first present to the Horse, let him smell to it. 1670 J. Smith Eng. Improv. Reviv'd 213 The Root smelled unto is good for the same purpose. 1757 W. Thompson R.N. Adv. 20 Dogs..would not even smell to it. 1803 Beddoes Hygëia ix. 99 The patient drank tea..and smelt to a tuberose. 1890 O. Crawfurd Round the Calendar 147 Their flowers can be plucked or smelled to without bending the back. |
| (b) 1530 Palsgr. 722/2 Smell at my coller, and you shall parceyve whether it be I that stynke or nat. 1644 Digby Nat. Bodies xxxviii. §5. 333 If the smell do please it, the beast will alwayes be smelling at it. 1704 N. N. tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. III. 280 He bid some of his Priests..smell at the French-men's Hands. 1743 Francis tr. Hor., Odes v. vi. 10 But You..at Crusts are smelling. 1836 Landor Pericles & Aspasia cxxxi. Wks. 1853 II. 406/2 She smells at it and turns away. 1863 Reade Hard Cash III. 115 She smelt at her salts, and soon recovered that weakness. |
| (c) 1624 Quarles Sion's Sonn. xv. 4 When I smelt of my returned hand. 1815 E. Inchbald Child of Nature i. iii, Here—smell of this bottle—it will do you good. 1852 Mrs. Stowe Uncle Tom's C. xv. 130 She recommended to him to smell of hartshorn. 1852 G. W. Curtis Lotos-eating 3, I have not yet done..smelling of all the flowers. 1912 F. J. Haskin Amer. Govt. 276 He took out the cork, smelled of it, and then replaced it. 1919 E. O'Neill Moon of Caribbees 30 His foot hits a bottle. He stoops down and picks it up and smells of it. |
| (d) 1626 J. Yates Ibis ad Cæsarem ii. 77 Error is the weed we so much smell on. 1684 Bunyan Pilg. ii. 25 Fetch something, and give it Mercie to smell on, thereby to stay her fainting. 1707 Mortimer Husb. (1721) I. 207 To which hole they bring the Mare for the Horse to smell on. 1784 New Spectator No. 3. 3 Having examined and smelled on the leaves, she was satisfied. |
† b. fig. To take or get a slight touch or taste of, to pay some slight attention to, a thing. Obs.
| (a) 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. (1580) 165 The unlearned or foolishe phantasticall, that smelles but of learnyng. 1583 T. Stocker Civ. Warres Lowe C. ii. 46 b, Not without his great domage, which hee shall both feele, and smell of againe. 1600 ? Webster Weakest goeth to Wall G iij b, And dogs keepe out of the Chauncell, ye shall smell of the whip else. |
| (b) c 1580 J. Hooker Life Sir P. Carew in Archæologia XXVIII. 98 He in noe wise coulde frame the younge Peter to smell to a bo[o]cke. 1653 Gauden Hierasp. 152 Were there never so sweet..flowers gathered,..these supercilious novellers will not vouchsafe to smell to them. |
7. Without const. To possess or exercise the sense of smell; to be able to perceive odours, or to be engaged in doing this. Also fig.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter cxiii. 6 Nese-thirles þai haue, and smel sal noght. a 1325 Prose Psalter cxv. 6 Hij ne shul nouȝt smullen. 1390 Gower Conf. II. 87 Ere and yhe and nase and mouth, Wherof a man mai hiere and se And smelle and taste in his degre. a 1500 Adrian & Epotys 68 in Brome Bk. 27 The joy [of heaven] may no tonge telle, Tyll domys day thow he woll smell. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 153 Doth not the Lyon for strength..excell Man? Doth not..the Vulter smel better. 1607 Shakes. Timon iv. iii. 160 Downe with the Nose..Of him, that his particular to foresee, Smels from the generall weale. 1667 Milton P.L. v. 411 Every lower facultie Of sense, whereby they hear, see, smell, touch, taste. 1726 Swift Gulliver ii. i, Two rats..ran smelling backwards and forwards on the bed. 1824 Lady Granville Lett. (1894) I. 283 We walked and smelt for half an hour. 1898 Daily News 23 July 6/2 It will be the object of this Committee..to go smelling in Shoreditch. |
III. 8. a. intr. To give out, send forth, or exhale an odour; to have a smell, scent, etc.
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 53 He..bret hine [the cheese] for þon þet he scolde swote smelle. c 1220 Bestiary 751 in O.E. Misc., Al ðat eure smelleð swete. a 1225 Leg. Kath. 1526 Mi swete lif, se swoteliche he smecheð me & smealleð. c 1310 in Wright Lyric P. xxx. 88 Hire erbes smulleth suete. c 1386 Chaucer Miller's T. 505 He cheweth greyn and lycorys To smellen sweete. c 1440 Pallad. on Husb. xii. 514 Chaunge hit ofte vntil hit better smylle. 1484 Caxton Fables of æsop iii. xx, Hit smelleth lyke bame. 1530 Palsgr. 722/2 Take away this fysshe, it smelleth nat very well. 1562 Turner Herbal ii. (1568) 126 Sage is a long bushe,..smellinge wounderfully. 1610 Shakes. Temp. ii. ii. 26 Hee smels like a fish. 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 319 Herbs of every leaf, that..made gay Her bosom smelling sweet. 1726 Swift Gulliver iv. viii, I observed the young animal's flesh to smell very rank. 1806 Med. Jrnl. XV. 486 The whole matter smelt very sour as it was dug. 1842 Parnell Chem. Anal. (1845) 294 A combustible gas, smelling like bisulphuret of carbon. 1885 W. T. Hornaday 2 Yrs. Jungle xxvi. 304 It smelled like sulphuretted hydrogen. |
b. spec. To give out an offensive odour; to stink.
| c 1375 Cursor M. 14322 (Fairf.), He smellis, for iiij. dayes ar gane syn he was lokin vnder a stane. 1584 Cogan Haven Health 263 When the Waters and feelds smoke and smell. 1608 D. T. Ess. Pol. & Mor. 80 Beeing told that his breath did smell. 1684 Contempl. State Man i. iv. (1699) 35 If he reach old Age..his Breath smells. |
c. fig. Also in phr. not to smell right, to have an air of being not quite in order.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xi. 426 Þere smit no þinge so smerte, ne smelleth so soure, As shame. 1579–80 North Plutarch, Artaxerxes (1896) VI. 112 Me thinketh this smelleth like a lye. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. iii. 36 Oh my offence is ranke, it smels to heauen. 1820 Shelley Prometh. Unb. i. 339 The hope of torturing him smells like a heap Of corpses, to a death-bird after battle. [a 1862 Buckle Civiliz. (1869) III. iii. 157 That corrupt and tyrannical dynasty whose offences smelt to heaven.] 1939 ‘N. Blake’ Smiler with Knife x. 154 It doesn't sound like Fascism. It doesn't smell like Fascism. 1950 ‘J. Tey’ To love & be Wise xvii. 219 It's..the whole set⁓up... It doesn't smell right. 1969 Sunday Times (Colour Suppl.) 21 Dec. 11/1 Jock could not have been nicer... As a matter of fact he has been so nice that it smells bad. 1974 J. Thomson Long Revenge iii. 33 Finch was inclined towards accepting the case... And yet..he hesitated... It still did not smell right to him. |
d. To give rise to suspicion; to have an air of dishonesty or fraud.
| 1939 Sun (Baltimore) 12 Dec. 3/3 What ‘smelled’ about the..case appeared to have been saved by committee counsel for later inquiry. 1950 Austral. Police Jrnl. Apr. 118 It smells, it is something to be wary about; highly suspicious. 1970 G. F. Newman Sir, You Bastard ii. 78 Things..wouldn't always get past the sharp-eyed QC. If a case smelt, he would smell it. 1973 ‘H. Howard’ Highway to Murder viii. 103 There's a wrong slant to this affair. I can't put my finger on it—but it smells. |
9. a. To exhale or emit the odour of, to have the smell of, something. Also rarely on (now dial.).
| (a) 1526 [cf. b]. 1560 Bible (Geneva) Ps. xlv. 8 All thy garments smell of myrrhe and aloes, and cassia. 1599 Davies Immort. Soul xvii. ii. (1714) 72 They smell best, that do of nothing smell. 1662 J. Davies tr. Mandelslo's Trav. 94 They gave him a bottle that smelt of Oyle. 1711 W. King tr. Naude's Ref. Politics iii. 109 The answer of a peasant to King Henry, that The pouch will always smell of the herring. 1796 Kirwan Elem. Min. (ed. 2) II. 443 Calcined until it no longer smelled of arsenic. 1848 Dickens Dombey xxxi, One of the..men already smells of sherry. 1855 Tennyson Maud i. vi. vi, That oil'd and curl'd Assyrian Bull Smelling of musk and of insolence. |
| (b) 1567 Drant Horace, Ep. i. xix. F vij, All nighte to sprall and stryue with wyne, all day on it to smell [L. putēre]. 1758 Binnell Descr. Thames 179 Its observable that he is thought by some to feed on Water-Thyme, and that he smells on it, at his first being taken out of the Water. |
b. To have or exhibit a touch, tinge, or suggestion of something.
| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 77 b, Not for..promocyon or other profyte,..for all these smelleth of ypocrisy. 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 3 marg., He supposeth that both their victories will smell of crueltie. 1649 Milton Eikon. xxvi. Wks. 1851 III. 503 Praises in an enemy are superfluous, or smell of craft. 1671 J. Davies Sibylls ii. xxiv. 137 That the Relation of his Adventures smell (as much as may be) of a Romance. 1741 Berkeley Wks. (1871) IV. 270 Most modern writings smell of the age. 1756 Law Lett. Important Subj. 115 Such a free way of speaking..of my own books may have been suspected of smelling too much of self-esteem. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. iii. i. i, Some..seem to hint afar off at something which smells of Agrarian law. 1887 Spectator 17 Sept. 1241 Proposals smelling of confiscation. |
c. Of literary work, in the phrases to smell of the candle, lamp, oil, etc., to show signs of being laboured and artificial.
| 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 333 Pythias obiected..that his argumentes of rhetorike smelled all of the candle. 1579 [see lamp n.1 1 b]. 1616 Hieron Wks. I. 586 It is an honour to a sermon, when (as the saying is) it shall smell of the candle. 1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. Prol. (for the Court), A work not smelling of the lamp. 1650, 1675 [see oil n.1 3 d]. 1732, 1768 [see lamp n.1 1 b]. 1839 Hallam Hist. Lit. iii. vii. §17 Even his letters to his sister, smell too much of the lamp. 1871 Lowell Study Windows (1886) 282 His sentences..smell of the library. 1887 [see lamp n.1 1 b]. 1927 Galsworthy Castles in Spain 154 At times he wrote stories unworthy of him. At times his work smelled of the lamp. 1953 G. S. Fraser Modern Writer & his World iii. iv. 254 This desire of his..to be ‘complex’ and to bring in a wide range of cultural references at all costs does make his work sometimes smell a little of the lamp. |
10. trans. To have or emit a smell of (something).
| c 1586 C'tess Pembroke Ps. xlv. iv, Mirrh, Aloes, Cassia, all thy robes doe smell. 1598 Shakes. Merry W. iii. ii. 70 He smels April and May. 1603 ― Meas. for M. iii. ii. 194 She smelt browne-bread and Garlicke. 1854 Thackeray Wolves & Lamb Wks. 1899 XII. 16 There's..crumbs on your cheek, and you smell sherry, sir! |
11. colloq. To cause to smell; to fill or affect with an (offensive) odour. Also with out.
| 1887 Aberd. Evening Express 5 Sept. 2/6 Parts [of a whale] which are still in such a condition that they would smell the whole museum. 1978 Lancashire Life Oct. 83/3 Ah must ‘a’ smelt the class-room a'et When a' them odours mingled. 1979 ‘J. Ross’ Rattling of Old Bones ii. 17 How..can you have a dead body smelling out the house and not know it? |
▸ orig. U.S. colloq.to smell the roses (also flowers): to appreciate or fully enjoy life's pleasures, esp. those things which are transitory or regarded as inessential; freq. in to stop and smell the roses (also flowers).
| 1930 N.Y. Times Bk. Rev. 8 June 25/1 Mr. Axton Clark's review..was so generally fair, when it was not flattering, that I am disinclined to fend off his few brickbats. Such treatment makes an author almost as willing to smile at the bricks as to smell the roses. 1957 Washington Post 9 Jan. c1/1 Don't worry, don't hurry. You're only on this earth for a visit so stop and smell the flowers. 1977 N.Y. Times 16 Jan. v. 3/3 Miss Alcott says she is ‘really goal-oriented right now’, and that her mother and sister tell her ‘calm down and don't forget to stop and smell the roses as you go by’. 1990 J. Welch Indian Lawyer 49 Some of our best boys are getting up there—hell, they want to get out and smell the roses one more time before they croak. 2002 Black Belt Jan. 72 Enjoy everything... Smell the roses in your mind. |