scent

I UK [sent] / US noun
Word forms "scent":
singular scent plural scents
*

1)

a) [countable] a particular smell, especially a pleasant one

an apple with a rich flavour and scent

The sweet fresh scent of newly baked bread filled the house.

b) [countable/uncountable] the smell that an animal or person has, which some animals can follow

pick up a scent (= start to follow a scent):

Police tracker dogs picked up the man's scent in the forest.

be on the scent (= be following a smell):

The dogs were soon on the fox's scent.

2) [countable/uncountable] a liquid that people, especially women, put on their skin to make themselves smell nice

3) [countable, usually singular] a series of facts and signs that help someone to discover something

The police were following a false scent.

the first scent of suspicion

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throw/put someone off the scent — to do something to try to prevent someone from discovering the truth

Detectives were thrown off the scent after evidence was destroyed.

- the scent of something

II UK [sent] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "scent":
present tense I/you/we/they scent he/she/it scents present participle scenting past tense scented past participle scented

1) to make something have a particular smell

The smell of roses scented the room.

2) if an animal scents someone or something, it knows they are there because of their smell

3) to feel that something is soon going to happen or be done

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- scent blood