To smell out

To smell out
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. [1913 Webster]

2. To detect or perceive, as if by the sense of smell; to scent out; -- often with out. ``I smell a device.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Can you smell him out by that? --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. To give heed to. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

From that time forward I began to smellthe Word of God, and forsook the school doctors. --Latimer. [1913 Webster]

{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.] [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • smell out — verb 1. recognize or detect by or as if by smelling He can smell out trouble • Syn: ↑sniff out, ↑scent out, ↑nose out • Entailment: ↑smell • Verb Frames …   Useful english dictionary

  • smell\ out — • ferret out literary • sniff out • smell out v To hunt or drive from hiding; to bring out into the open; search for and find. Jane smelled out the boys secret hiding place in the woods. John ferreted out the answer to the question in the library …   Словарь американских идиом

  • smell out — See: FERRET OUT …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • smell out — See: FERRET OUT …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • smell out — Discover, find out …   New dictionary of synonyms

  • smell out — (Roget s IV) v. Syn. find, detect, identify; see discover …   English dictionary for students

  • smell out — discover; fill with stench …   English contemporary dictionary

  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • smell — [smel] vt. smelled or [Chiefly Brit.] Brit. smelt, smelling [ME smellen < OE * smyllan < IE base * smel , to burn slowly > SMOLDER: basic sense “to give off smoke”] 1. to be or become aware of by means of the nose and the olfactory… …   English World dictionary

  • smell — smell1 W3S2 [smel] n 1.) the quality that people and animals recognize by using their nose smell of ▪ The air was filled with the smell of flowers. sweet/delicious smell ▪ There s a delicious smell coming from the kitchen. unpleasant/bad/acrid… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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