Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Synonyms
Nearby Entries
Stink - 7 dictionary results

stink

  [stingk] ,verb, stank or, often, stunk; stunk; stink⋅ing; noun
Use Stink in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to emit a strong offensive smell.
2. to be offensive to honesty or propriety; to be in extremely bad repute or disfavor.
3. Informal. to be disgustingly inferior: That book stinks.
4. Slang. to have a large quantity of something (usually fol. by of or with): They stink of money. She stinks with jewelry.
–verb (used with object)
5. to cause to stink or be otherwise offensive (often fol. by up): an amateurish performance that really stank up the stage.
–noun
6. a strong offensive smell; stench.
7. Informal. an unpleasant fuss; scandal: There was a big stink about his accepting a bribe.
8. stinks, (used with a singular verb) British Slang. chemistry as a course of study.
—Verb phrase
9. stink out, to repel or drive out by means of a highly offensive smell.
Origin:
bef. 900; (v.) ME stinken, OE stincan; (n.) ME, deriv. of the v.; c. G stinken. (v.); cf. stench

Synonyms:
1. reek.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Stink
stink   (stĭngk)   
v.   stank (stāngk) or stunk (stŭngk), stunk, stink·ing, stinks

v.   intr.
  1. To emit a strong foul odor.
    1. To be highly offensive or abhorrent.
    2. To be in extremely bad repute.
    3. To be of an extremely low or bad quality: This job stinks.
    4. To have the appearance of dishonesty or corruption: Something about his testimony stinks.
  3. Slang To have something to an extreme or offensive degree: a family that stinks with money; a deed that stinks of treachery.
  4. Slang
    1. To be of an extremely low or bad quality: This job stinks.
    2. To have the appearance of dishonesty or corruption: Something about his testimony stinks.
v.   tr.
To cause to stink: garbage that stinks up the yard.
n.  
  1. A strong offensive odor; a stench. See Synonyms at stench.
  2. Slang A scandal or controversy: "the stink over sexual politics in the military" (David Nyhan).

[Middle English stinken, from Old English stincan, to emit a smell.]
stink'y adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Stink

Stink\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Stunk, Stank, p. pr. & vb. n. Stinking.] [AS. stinkan to have a smell (whether good or bad); akin to OHG. stinchan, G. & D. stinken to stink; of uncertain origin; cf. Icel. st["o]kkva to leap, to spring, Goth. stigqan to push, strike, or Gr. ? rancid. Cf. Stench.] To emit a strong, offensive smell; to send out a disgusting odor.

Stink

Stink\, v. t. To cause to stink; to affect by a stink.

Stink

Stink\, n. [AS. stinc.] A strong, offensive smell; a disgusting odor; a stench.

Fire stink. See under Fire.

Stink-fire lance. See under Lance.

Stink rat (Zo["o]l.), the musk turtle. [Local, U.S.]

Stink shad (Zo["o]l.), the gizzard shad. [Local, U.S.]

Stink trap, a stench trap. See under Stench.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Language Translation for : Stink
Spanish: apestar,
German: stinken,
Japanese: 悪臭を放つ
More Translations »

stink 
O.E. stincan "emit a smell of any kind" (class III strong verb; past tense stonc), from W.Gmc. *stenkwanan (cf. O.S. stincan, O.H.G. stinkan, Du. stinken), from the root of stench. O.E. swote stincan "to smell sweet," but offensive sense began O.E. and was primary by c.1250; smell now tends the same way. Fig. meaning "be offensive" is from 1225; meaning "be inept" is recorded from 1924. The noun is attested from c.1300; sense of "extensive fuss" first recorded 1812. Stinking in ref. to "drunk" first attested 1887; stinking rich dates from 1956. To stink to high heaven first recorded 1963. Stinker as a term of abuse (often banteringly) is attested from 1607; earlier stinkard (c.1600).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source

stink

In addition to the idiom beginning with stink, also see big stink; make a stink; smell (stink) up.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
Cite This Source
Search another word or see Stink on Thesaurus | Reference