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Odour vs. Smell — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Odour and Smell

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Definitions

Odour

A distinctive smell, especially an unpleasant one
The odour of cigarette smoke

Smell

The sense, located in the nasal cavities of mammals and relying on the olfactory nerves, by which molecules borne in a fluid such as air can be perceived; the olfactory sense.

Odour

A lingering quality or impression attaching to something
An odour of suspicion

Smell

A similar sense in other animals, as insects' ability to perceive air-borne molecules with their antennae.

Odour

Variant of odor.
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Smell

The act or an instance of smelling
Got a smell of the pie.

Odour

(British spelling) odor

Smell

A quality of something that is perceived by the sense of smell; an odor
The smell of a barn.

Odour

The sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form;
She loved the smell of roses

Smell

A distinctive enveloping or characterizing quality; an aura or trace
The smell of success.
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Odour

Any property detected by the olfactory system

Smell

To perceive (an odor) by the sense of smell.

Smell

To perceive or detect (something) by a chemosensory organ, such as an antenna.

Smell

To inhale the air near (something); sniff
Smiled as she smelled the rose.

Smell

To detect or discover, as by intuition or inference
We smelled trouble ahead. The committee tried to smell out corruption in law enforcement.

Smell

To use the sense of smell.

Smell

To sniff
The dog was smelling around the bed.

Smell

To have or emit an odor
"The breeze smelled exactly like Vouvray—flowery, with a hint of mothballs underneath" (Anne Tyler).

Smell

To have or emit an unpleasant odor; stink
This closet smells.

Smell

To be suggestive; have a touch of something
A remark that smells of sanctimony.

Smell

To appear to be dishonest or corrupt
The political situation is starting to smell.

Smell

A sensation, pleasant or unpleasant, detected by inhaling air (or, the case of water-breathing animals, water) carrying airborne molecules of a substance.
I love the smell of fresh bread.

Smell

(physiology) The sense that detects odours.

Smell

(transitive) To sense a smell or smells.
I can smell fresh bread.
Smell the milk and tell me whether it's gone off.

Smell

Followed by like or of if descriptive: to have a particular smell, whether good or bad.
The roses smell lovely.
Her feet smell of cheese.
The drunkard smelt like a brewery.

Smell

To smell bad; to stink.
Ew, this stuff smells.

Smell

To have a particular tincture or smack of any quality; to savour.
A report smells of calumny.

Smell

To detect or perceive; often with out.

Smell

(obsolete) To give heed to.

Smell

(transitive) To smell of; to have a smell of

Smell

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.

Smell

To detect or perceive, as if by the sense of smell; to scent out; - often with out.
Can you smell him out by that?

Smell

To give heed to.
From that time forward I began to smellthe Word of God, and forsook the school doctors.

Smell

To affect the olfactory nerves; to have an odor or scent; - often followed by of; as, to smell of smoke, or of musk.

Smell

To have a particular tincture or smack of any quality; to savor; as, a report smells of calumny.
Praises in an enemy are superfluous, or smell of craft.

Smell

To exercise the sense of smell.

Smell

To exercise sagacity.

Smell

The sense or faculty by which certain qualities of bodies are perceived through the instrumentally of the olfactory nerves. See Sense.

Smell

The quality of any thing or substance, or emanation therefrom, which affects the olfactory organs; odor; scent; fragrance; perfume; as, the smell of mint.
Breathing the smell of field and grove.
That which, above all others, yields the sweetest smell in the air, is the violent.

Smell

The sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form;
She loved the smell of roses

Smell

Any property detected by the olfactory system

Smell

The general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people;
The feel of the city excited him
A clergyman improved the tone of the meeting
It had the smell of treason

Smell

The faculty of smell

Smell

The act of perceiving the odor of something

Smell

Inhale the odor of; perceive by the olfactory sense

Smell

Emit an odor;
The soup smells good

Smell

Smell bad;
He rarely washes, and he smells

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