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scent - What does it mean?

Definition of 'scent'

English

Alternative forms

* (obsolete)

Noun

(en-noun)
  • A distinctive odour or smell.
    • the scent of flowers
    the scent of a skunk
  • An odour left by an animal that may be used for tracing.
    • The dogs lost the scent .
  • The sense of smell.
    • I believe the bloodhound has the best scent of all dogs.
  • A perfume.
  • (figuratively) Any trail or trace that can be followed to find something or someone.

    • Usage notes

    * Almost always applied to agreeable odors (fragrances ).

    Synonyms

    * fragrance * perfume * aroma * odor * smell

    Derived terms

    * scentless

    Verb

  • to detect the scent of
    • The hounds scented the fox in the woods.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Methinks I scent the morning air.
  • to impart an odour to
    • Scent the air with burning sage before you begin your meditation.
  • * Dryden
    • Balm from a silver box distilled around, / Shall all bedew the roots, and scent the sacred ground.
  • To have a smell.
  • * Holland
    • Thunderbolts do scent strongly of brimstone.
  • To hunt animals by means of the sense of smell.

    • Anagrams

    * cents

    Similar to 'scent'

    sent, snot, saint, smut, scant, snit, shunt, snout, squint, sonnet, summit, skint, smoot, sinnet, snoot, scient, sennet, sennit, summat, sumat, simit, suant, suent, sunhat, shent, sient, senet, soynut, summet, sumet, smit, suint, snet, seynt, smitt, summut, summot, sommat, seent