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Webster 1913 Edition

Scent

Scent

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Scented
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Scenting
.]
[Originally
sent
, fr. F.
sentir
to feel, to smell. See
Sense
.]
1.
To perceive by the olfactory organs; to smell;
as, to
scent
game, as a hound does
.
Methinks I
scent
the morning air.
Shakespeare
2.
To imbue or fill with odor; to perfume.
Balm from a silver box distilled around,
Shall all bedew the roots, and
scent
the sacred ground.
Dryden.

Scent

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To have a smell.
[Obs.]
Thunderbolts . . . do
scent
strongly of brimstone.
Holland.
2.
To hunt animals by means of the sense of smell.

Scent

,
Noun.
1.
That which, issuing from a body, affects the olfactory organs of animals; odor; smell;
as, the
scent
of an orange, or of a rose; the
scent
of musk
.
With lavish hand diffuses
scents
ambrosial.
Prior.
2.
Specifically, the odor left by an animal on the ground in passing over it;
as, dogs find or lose the
scent
; hence, course of pursuit; track of discovery.
He gained the observations of innumerable ages, and traveled upon the same
scent
into Ethiopia.
Sir W. Temple.
3.
The power of smelling; the sense of smell;
as, a hound of nice
scent
; to divert the
scent
.
I. Watts.

Webster 1828 Edition

Scent

SCENT

,
Noun.
[L. sentio, to perceive.]
1.
Odor; smell; that substance which issuing from a body, affects the olfactory organs of animals; as the scent of an orange or an apple; the scent of musk. The word is applicable to any odor, agreeable or offensive.
2.
The power of smelling; the smell; as a house of nice scent.
3.
chase followed by the scent; course of pursuit; track.
He travelled upon the same scent into Ethiopia.

SCENT

, v.t.
1.
to smell; to perceive by the olfactory organs; as, to scent game, as a hound.
2.
To perfume; to imbue or fill with odor, good or bad. Aromatic plants scent the room. some persons scent garments with musk; others scent their snuff.

Definition 2024

scent

scent

English

Alternative forms

Noun

scent ‎(plural scents)

  1. A distinctive odour or smell.
    the scent of flowers
    the scent of a skunk
  2. An odour left by an animal that may be used for tracing.
    The dogs lost the scent.
  3. The sense of smell.
    I believe the bloodhound has the best scent of all dogs.
  4. A perfume.
  5. (figuratively) Any trail or trace that can be followed to find something or someone.
  6. (obsolete) Sense, perception.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene:
      A fit false dream, that can delude the sleeper's sent.

Usage notes

  • Almost always applied to agreeable odors (fragrances).

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

scent ‎(third-person singular simple present scents, present participle scenting, simple past and past participle scented)

  1. to detect the scent of
    The hounds scented the fox in the woods.
    • Shakespeare
      Methinks I scent the morning air.
  2. 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.
  3. To have a smell.
    • Holland
      Thunderbolts […] do scent strongly of brimstone.
  4. To hunt animals by means of the sense of smell.

Translations

Anagrams

Etymology

From c.1400 Old French sentir ‎(“to feel, perceive, smell”), from Latin sentire "to feel, perceive, sense"; originally a hunting term, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sent- ‎(“to feel”), and thus related to Dutch zin ‎(“sense, meaning”), German Sinn ‎(“sense”), Low German Sinn ‎(“sense”), Luxembourgish Sënn ‎(“sense, perception”), Saterland Frisian Sin ‎(“sense”), West Frisian sin ‎(“sense”). The -c- appeared in the 17th century, possibly by influence of ascent, descent, etc., or by influence of science.

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ɛnt
  • enPR: sĕnt, IPA(key): /sɛnt/
  • Homophones: cent, sent

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