smell definition

1. the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
• examples: she loved the smell of roses
2. the faculty that enables us to distinguish scents
3. the act of perceiving the odor of something
4. inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense
5. emit an odor
• examples: The soup smells good
6. smell bad
• examples: He rarely washes, and he smells
7. become aware of not through the senses but instinctively
• examples: I sense his hostility
• examples: i smell trouble
• examples: smell out corruption