Smelt

Smelt
Smelt Smelt, n. [AS. smelt, smylt; akin to Dan. smelt.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) Any one of numerous species of small silvery salmonoid fishes of the genus {Osmerus} and allied genera, which ascend rivers to spawn, and sometimes become landlocked in lakes. They are esteemed as food, and have a peculiar odor and taste. [1913 Webster]

Note: The most important species are the European smelt ({Osmerus eperlans}) (called also {eperlan}, {sparling}, and {spirling}), the Eastern American smelt ({O. mordax}), the California smelt ({O. thalichthys}), and the surf smelt ({Hypomesus olidus}). The name is loosely applied to various other small fishes, as the lant, the California tomcod, the spawn eater, the silverside. [1913 Webster]

2. Fig.: A gull; a simpleton. [Obs.] --Beau. & Fl. [1913 Webster]

{Sand smelt} (Zo["o]l.), the silverside. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую
Synonyms:
(as ore),


Look at other dictionaries:

  • smelt pt — smelt v …   English expressions

  • smelt — smelt1 [smelt] n. pl. smelts or smelt [ME < OE, akin to Norw smelt, whiting, Du smelt, Ger schmelte, sand eel] any of various fishes (order Salmoniformes); esp., any of a family (Osmeridae) of small, silvery, salmonoid food fishes found in… …   English World dictionary

  • smelt — smelt·er·man; smelt; smelt·er; smelt·ery; …   English syllables

  • Smelt — Smelt, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Smelted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Smelting}.] [Of foreign origin; cf. Sw. sm[ a]lta, D. smelten, Dan. smelte, Icel. smelta, G. schmelzen OHG. smelzan, smelzen; probably akin to Gr. ?????. Cf. {Enamel}, {Melt}, {Mute}, v. i.,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Smelt — Smelt, imp. & p. p. of {Smell}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • smelt — sb., en, er el. smelt, e(r)ne (en fisk) …   Dansk ordbog

  • smelt — Ⅰ. smelt [1] ► VERB ▪ extract (metal) from its ore by a process involving heating and melting. DERIVATIVES smelter noun. ORIGIN Dutch, Low German smelten. Ⅱ. smelt [3] …   English terms dictionary

  • Smelt — Smelt, Fisch, so v.w. Stint …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • smelt — index burn Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • smelt — n. small silvery edible fish native of cold northern waters (in Europe and North America) v. melt or fuse ore to extract the metal content smel n. act of smelling, sniffing; sense of smell; scent, odor, fragrance; characteristic quality, aura v.… …   English contemporary dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”