| 1. | a distinctive odor, esp. when agreeable: the scent of roses. |
| 2. | an odor left in passing, by means of which an animal or person may be traced. |
| 3. | a track or trail as or as if indicated by such an odor: The dogs lost the scent and the prisoner escaped. |
| 4. | perfume. |
| 5. | the sense of smell: a remarkably keen scent. |
| 6. | small pieces of paper dropped by the hares in the game of hare and hounds. |
| 7. | to perceive or recognize by or as if by the sense of smell: to scent trouble. |
| 8. | to fill with an odor; perfume. |
| 9. | to hunt by the sense of smell, as a hound. |
scent (sěnt) n.
v. tr.
To hunt prey by means of the sense of smell. Used of hounds. [Middle English sent, from senten, to scent, from Old French sentir, from Latin sentīre, to feel; see sent- in Indo-European roots.] scent'less adj. |
scent
the property of certain substances, in very small concentrations, to stimulate chemical sense receptors that sample the air or water surrounding an animal. In insects and other invertebrates and in aquatic animals, the perception of small chemical concentrations often merges with perception via contact of heavy concentrations (taste), and with other chemoreceptive specializations. See also smell.
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