to drive out or away by a foul smell to cause to stink: the smell of orange peel stinks out the room
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
stink /stɪŋk/USA pronunciation
v., stank /stæŋk/USA pronunciation or, often, stunk/stʌŋk/USA pronunciation ;
stunk;
stink•ing;
n.
v.
n. [countable* usually singular]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025stunk;
stink•ing;
n.
v.
- to (cause to) give off a strong, bad smell: [no object]The kitchen stinks; what are you cooking in there?[~ + of + object]The hallways stank of cabbage and beer.[~ + up + object]They stank up the hallways with the smell of sour herring.
- Informal Termsto be very bad, unpleasant, or inferior:[no object* not: be + ~ -ing]This job stinks!
- Slang Terms[Informal.][no object* sometimes: ~ + of + object] to suggest something dishonest or scandalous, or some disagreeable attribute:"This case stinks of corruption,'' cried the D.A.
n. [countable* usually singular]
- a very strong, powerfully disgusting smell:a stink of open sewers.
- Informal Termsan unpleasant fuss;
commotion:She made a big stink about her boss calling her "Miss'' instead of "Ms.''
stink (stingk),USA pronunciation
v., stank or, often, stunk;
stunk;
stink•ing;
n.
v.i.
v.t.
n.
stunk;
stink•ing;
n.
v.i.
- to emit a strong offensive smell.
- to be offensive to honesty or propriety;
to be in extremely bad repute or disfavor. - Informal Termsto be disgustingly inferior:That book stinks.
- Slang Termsto have a large quantity of something (usually fol. by of or with):They stink of money. She stinks with jewelry.
v.t.
- to cause to stink or be otherwise offensive (often fol. by up):an amateurish performance that really stank up the stage.
- stink out, to repel or drive out by means of a highly offensive smell.
n.
- a strong offensive smell;
stench. - Informal Termsan unpleasant fuss;
scandal:There was a big stink about his accepting a bribe. - British Terms stinks, (used with a sing. v.)chemistry as a course of study.
- bef. 900; (verb, verbal) Middle English stinken, Old English stincan; (noun, nominal) Middle English, derivative of the verb, verbal; cognate with German stinken. (verb, verbal); compare stench
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged reek.
'stink out' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):