1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:

Smell \Smell\ (sm[e^]l), verb (used with an object) [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}, noun]

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.

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.

{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.]