- pronunciation:
- stIngk
- parts of speech:
- intransitive verb, transitive verb, noun
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word History
part of speech: |
intransitive verb |
inflections: |
stinks, stinking, stank, stunk |
definition 1: |
to emit or exude a strong and offensive odor.
The dog rolled in something dead, and now he stinks.His breath stinks of beer and onions.- similar words:
- reek, smell
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definition 2: |
to be loathsome, abhorrent, or highly offensive.
The corruption in this town stinks! |
definition 3: |
(informal) to be of very low quality.
He loves to sing, but, unfortunately, his singing stinks. |
related words: |
foul, fume, reek |
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part of speech: |
transitive verb |
definition: |
to cause to have an offensive odor (often fol. by "up").
Cigar smoke stank up the room. |
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part of speech: |
noun |
definition 1: |
a strong, unpleasant or offensive odor; stench.
There was an awful stink of mold in the house.- antonyms:
- fragrance
- similar words:
- reek, stench
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definition 2: |
(informal) a great fuss.
They made a stink over the issue. |
related words: |
odor |
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In Old English,
stink meant "to give off a smell (of any kind)." By 1200, only a strong and offensive smell was called a "stink."