REEK

malodor, malodour, stench, stink, reek, fetor, foetor, mephitis

(noun) a distinctive odor that is offensively unpleasant

reek, fume

(verb) be wet with sweat or blood, as of one’s face

reek, stink

(verb) smell badly and offensively; “The building reeks of smoke”

reek

(verb) give off smoke, fumes, warm vapour, steam, etc.; “Marshes reeking in the sun”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology 1

Noun

reek (countable and uncountable, plural reeks)

A strong unpleasant smell.

(Scotland) Vapour; steam; smoke; fume.

Etymology 2

Verb

reek (third-person singular simple present reeks, present participle reeking, simple past and past participle reeked)

(intransitive) To have or give off a strong, unpleasant smell.

(intransitive, figuratively) To be evidently associated with something unpleasant.

(archaic, intransitive) To be emitted or exhaled, emanate, as of vapour or perfume.

(archaic, intransitive) To emit smoke or vapour; to steam.

Etymology 3

Noun

reek (plural reeks)

(Ireland) A hill; a mountain.

Anagrams

• kere

Source: Wiktionary


Reek (rek), n.

Definition: A rick. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Reek, n. Etym: [AS. r; akin to OFries. r, LG. & D. rook, G. rauch, OHG. rouh, Dan. rr, Icel. reykr, and to AS. re to reek, smoke, Icel. rj, G. riechen to smell.]

Definition: Vapor; steam; smoke; fume. As hateful to me as the reek of a limekiln. Shak.

Reek, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Reeked (rkt); p. pr. & vb. n. Reeking.] Etym: [As. r. See Reek vapor..]

Definition: To emit vapor, usually that which is warm and moist; to be full of fumes; to steam; to smoke; to exhale. Few chimneys reeking you shall espy. Spenser. I found me laid In balmy sweat, which with his beams the sun Soon dried, and on the reeking moisture fed. Milton. The coffee rooms reeked with tobacco. Macualay.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

3 March 2025

STAND

(verb) hold one’s ground; maintain a position; be steadfast or upright; “I am standing my ground and won’t give in!”


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee has initially been a food – chewed, not sipped. Early African tribes consume coffee by grinding the berries together, adding some animal fat, and rolling the treats into tiny edible energy balls.

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