Found 1 items, similar to To smell out.
English → English (gcide)
Definition: 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.
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2. To detect or perceive, as if by the sense of smell; to
scent out; -- often with out.
“I smell a device.”
--Shak.
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Can you smell him out by that? --Shak.
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3. To give heed to. [Obs.]
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From that time forward I began to smellthe Word of
God, and forsook the school doctors. --Latimer.
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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.]
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