Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SMELL, v.t. [pret. and pp. smelled, smelt. I have not found this word in any other language.]

To perceive by the nose, or by the olfactory nerves; to have a sensation excited in certain organs of the nose by particular qualities of a body, which are transmitted in fine particles, often from a distance; as, to smell a rose; to smell perfumes. To smell out, is a low phrase signifying to find out by sagacity. – L'Estrange. To smell a rat, is a low phrase signifying to suspect strongly.