Smell plays a vital role in our daily experiences, often evoking strong memories and emotions. Understanding idioms related to smell can enhance your descriptive language, making your expressions more vivid and engaging. Here are 20 idioms that describe smell, complete with their meanings and example sentences.
1. A Breath of Fresh Air
Meaning: Refreshing change
Example: Her presence was a breath of fresh air in the office.
2. Smell a Rat
Meaning: Suspect deception
Example: I smell a rat in this deal; it seems too good to be true.
3. Nose in the Air
Meaning: Arrogant
Example: She walked in with her nose in the air, ignoring everyone.
4. Fishy Smell
Meaning: Suspicious
Example: His explanation has a fishy smell to it.
5. Sweet Smell of Success
Meaning: Enjoyment of success
Example: After years of hard work, she finally experienced the sweet smell of success.
6. Come Up Smelling Like Roses
Meaning: Emerge untarnished
Example: Despite the scandal, he came up smelling like roses.
7. Something Smells Funny
Meaning: Seems suspicious
Example: Something smells funny about their sudden wealth.
8. Follow Your Nose
Meaning: Trust instincts
Example: If you’re lost, just follow your nose.
9. Smell of an Oily Rag
Meaning: Very little
Example: He started the business on the smell of an oily rag.
10. Fresh as a Daisy
Meaning: Very fresh
Example: She looked fresh as a daisy after a good night’s sleep.
11. Smell Blood
Meaning: Sense vulnerability
Example: The competitors smell blood after the company’s recent mishap.
12. Smell the Coffee
Meaning: Realize reality
Example: It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee about your spending.
13. On the Scent
Meaning: Following a clue
Example: The detectives are on the scent of the thief.
14. Smell to High Heaven
Meaning: Very strong odor
Example: The garbage in the alley smelled to high heaven.
15. Clear the Air
Meaning: Resolve tension
Example: They had a meeting to clear the air after the argument.
16. Sniff Around
Meaning: Investigate discreetly
Example: He started sniffing around for more information about the project.
17. Rotten to the Core
Meaning: Completely corrupt
Example: The company was rotten to the core with fraud.
18. Stink Up the Place
Meaning: Cause a bad smell
Example: The fish market stinks up the place every morning.
19. As Sweet as Honey
Meaning: Very sweet
Example: Her voice is as sweet as honey.
20. Scent of a Woman
Meaning: Attractive femininity
Example: He was captivated by the scent of a woman.
