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.]

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.

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

Praises in an enemy are superfluous, or smell of craft.
Milton.

3. To exercise the sense of smell. Ex. xxx. 38.

4. To exercise sagacity. Shak.

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.

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.

Breathing the smell of field and grove.
Milton.

That which, above all others, yields the sweetest smell in the air, is the violent.
Bacon.

Syn. — Scent; odor; perfume; fragrance.

Smeller
(Smell"er) n.

1. One who smells, or perceives by the sense of smell; one who gives out smell.

2. The nose. [Pugilists' Slang]

Smell-feast
(Smell"-feast`) n.

1. One who is apt to find and frequent good tables; a parasite; a sponger.

The epicure and the smell-feast.
South.

2. A feast at which the guests are supposed to feed upon the odors only of the viands.

Smelling
(Smell"ing), n.

1. The act of one who smells.

2. The sense by which odors are perceived; the sense of smell. Locke.

2. To detect or perceive, as if by the sense of smell; to scent out; — often with out. "I smell a device." Shak.

Can you smell him out by that?
Shak.

3. To give heed to. [Obs.]

From that time forward I began to smellthe Word of God, and forsook the school doctors.
Latimer.


  By PanEris using Melati.

Previous chapter/page Back Home Email this Search Discuss Bookmark Next chapter/page
Copyright: All texts on Bibliomania are © Bibliomania.com Ltd, and may not be reproduced in any form without our written permission.
See our FAQ for more details.