Verb needed for definition: "give off a pleasant odor"

Question

Hi everyone,I know that its strange, however, I simply don't like that the verb "to smell" can be used to describe both giving off, and detecting an odor.I can avoid this in the case of a foul odor by saying that "it stinks" or "my, that's pungent!" instead of "that smells bad."However, in the case of something pleasing to the ulfactory sense, I have no word to replace the ambiguous "smells good" in "that smells good."Does such a word exist in the english language? If not, is there a word in some other language which could be imported to fill this void?Thank you in advance for your input.

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]Hi everyone, I know that its strange, however, I simply don't like that the verb "to smell" can be used ... english language? If not, is there a word in some other language which could be imported to fill this void?[/nq]
I am not aware of a single word that means "smell good," bud you don't have to worry about using those two words. Context will clarify every time. With "good" following, "smell" can only be used in the sense of giving off an odor. If you were talking about someone's excellent sense of smell, you'd say he, or his nose, "smells well." I can't say it's totally impossible to create an ambiguity with "smells good," but in real life I doubt you'll ever encounter one.
So relax and use "smells good."

Bob Lieblich
Who smells particularly good after a shower

Usenet · Answer

My wife has some shrubs with white blossoms on them that fragrate more in the autumn than in other months.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]Hi everyone, I know that its strange, however, I simply don't like that the verb "to smell" can be used ... word in some other language which could be imported to fill this void? Thank you in advance for your input.[/nq]
"Wafts sweetly"

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]. . . I have no word to replace the ambiguous "smells good" in "that smells good." Does such a word exist in the english language? If not, is there a word in some other language which could be imported to fill this void?[/nq]
If you are willing to stretch a bit, there is "redole". The OED does not list it, though it shows a rare "obsolete" term "redoling" (all, of course, from "redolent"). A Google turns up fewer than a hundred matches, and almost all are references to words not in English (Italian, I believe).
Still, if you like the descriptivist philosophy that usages are all self-validating, there is this from a gardening site:

"It has the typical acacia flowers in the early spring. This is about as bullet proof a plant as you can find. It does not quite redole as much as you would think."
Or, from a 1911 article in the weekly arts magazine "The New Age", this quotation: "My scenes will not be laid in the slums, nor will they redole of the puissant cook."
I'm all for it. If the occasion arise, I will use it myself and **** the torpedoes. How do you suppose the Easter Bunny or the Hannukah Chicken got started?

Usenet · Answer

(Email Removed) had it:
[nq:1]Hi everyone, I know that its strange, however, I simply don't like that the verb "to smell" can be used ... word in some other language which could be imported to fill this void? Thank you in advance for your input.[/nq]
My dog's got no nose.

David
==

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Hi everyone, I know that its strange, however, I simply ... used to describe both giving off, and detecting an odor.[/nq]
{snip}
[nq:1]My dog's got no nose.[/nq]
No nose! How does he smell?
Awful!
Years ago, some friends and I translated that joke into as many languages as we could. After going through the languages we studied in school, we asked around among friends, neighbors and relatives who could speak other languages. Among the European languages, the only language we found that didn't work was Polish, which apparently has different words for giving off and detecting odor. I wonder how it would work in Chinese, Arabic, etc.

Paul

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]{snip}[/nq]
[nq:2]My dog's got no nose.[/nq]
[nq:1]No nose! How does he smell? Awful! Years ago, some friends and I translated that joke into as many languages ... apparently has different words for giving off and detecting odor. I wonder how it would work in Chinese, Arabic, etc.[/nq]
doesn't work in turkish.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Hi everyone, I know that its strange, however, I simply ... other language which could be imported to fill this void?[/nq]
[nq:1]I am not aware of a single word that means "smell good," bud you don't have to worry about using ... ambiguity with "smells good," but in real life I doubt you'll ever encounter one. So relax and use "smells good."[/nq]
There are a few transitive verbs with the desired sense (so to speak), e.g. "perfume" and "aromatize", although their pleasantness is a matter of connotation and isn't necessarily implied in all contexts.

Conversely, offhand I can't think of a single-word, odour-specific, transitive complement for "stink"; I believe most people would say "stink up", as in "His cheap cigars stink up any room he enters."

Odysseus

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1].. I can avoid this in the case of a foul odor by saying that "it stinks" or "my, that's ... something pleasing to the ulfactory sense, I have no word to replace the ambiguous "smells good" in "that smells good."[/nq]
Although your subject line calls for a verb, the examples for smelling bad includes an adjective. I assume you would accept adjectives for smelling nice? If so, consider:
(That's) fragrant
perfumy
aromatic
sweetly/pleasantly/nicely scented
Some verbs, not the exact opposite of "It stinks" but are verbs nevertheless, are:
perfume
scent
Must say I don't think "smells good/etc" is ambiguous though...

Solo Thesailor
http://sailingstoriesandtips.blogspot.com

Verb needed for definition: "give off a pleasant odor"

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions