smell up
B1 informal separable transitive
In simple words
To make a room or place smell bad.
Literal meaning: To fill a space up with a smell.
Meanings
1 B1 informal
To cause an enclosed space to be filled with a strong, usually unpleasant smell.
"Whoever microwaved that fish really smelled up the whole office."
Grammar: separable
2 B2 informal
To ruin or spoil something by introducing a bad smell (figurative extension).
"The cigarette smoke had smelled up all the curtains and furniture."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
Predominantly American English. British speakers are more likely to say 'stink out'. Used almost always with a negative connotation — the smell is unpleasant. The object is usually a room, house, or enclosed space.
Commonly used with
room house kitchen car office place
Forms
Base
smell up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
smells up
he/she/it
Past simple
smelled up
yesterday
Past participle
smelled up
have + pp
-ing form
smelling up
continuous
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