Definition

1. Verb:

   • To smell very strongly and unpleasantly: "Reek" means to have a powerful, offensive odor.
   • To give off smoke, fumes, or vapor: "Reek" can mean to emit a visible or noticeable vapor, often in a thick or unpleasant way.
   • To be strongly suggestive of something unpleasant: "Reek" can be used figuratively to mean that something strongly implies or is filled with a negative quality.

2. Noun:

   • A strong, unpleasant smell: "Reek" refers to a distinctive and offensive odor.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:

  • The garbage can reeks. (The garbage can smells very bad.)
  • The old fireplace reeked of smoke. (The old fireplace gave off a strong smell of smoke.)
  • His proposal reeks of dishonesty. (His proposal strongly suggests dishonesty.)

• Noun:

  • The reek of rotten eggs filled the room. (The strong, unpleasant smell of rotten eggs filled the room.)
  • He walked into the reek of stale beer. (He walked into the strong smell of stale beer.)

Advanced Usage

• "to reek of something": to smell strongly of a particular thing, or to be strongly characterized by a particular (often negative) quality.
  • Her breath reeked of garlic. (Her breath had a very strong smell of garlic.)
  • The whole deal reeks of corruption. (The entire deal is strongly suggestive of corruption.)

Variants and Related Words

• Reeky (adj): Having a foul smell; smelly.
  • They left the reeky basement. (They left the smelly basement.)

Synonyms

• Stink: to smell very unpleasant.
• Smell: to have a particular odor (more neutral, but can be negative in context).
• Stench: a strong and very unpleasant smell (noun).

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Reek" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. Its primary construction is "reek of.")

Related Idioms

• "Reek havoc": This is a common misspelling and mishearing of the idiom "wreak havoc" (to cause great damage or chaos). "Reek" is not correctly used in this idiom.

Noun

1. a distinctive odor that is offensively unpleasant

Verb

1. give off smoke, fumes, warm vapour, steam, etc.
   • Marshes reeking in the sun
2. be wet with sweat or blood, as of one's face
3. smell badly and offensively
   • The building reeks of smoke
4. have an element suggestive (of something)
   • his speeches smacked of racism
   • this passage smells of plagiarism