scent

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
scent/sent/

▶noun

• 1 a distinctive smell, especially one that is pleasant.

• 2 pleasant-smelling liquid worn on the skin; perfume.

• 3 a trail indicated by the characteristic smell of an animal.

  ■ a trail of evidence assisting someone in a search or investigation.

• 4 archaic the faculty or sense of smell.

▶verb

• 1 impart a pleasant scent to.

• 2 discern by the sense of smell.

  ■ sense the presence or imminence of: the Premier scented victory last night.

– derivatives
scented adjective,
scentless adjective.

– origin ME: from OFr. sentir ‘perceive, smell’, from L. sentire.