stench

Etymology

From Middle English stench, from Old English stenċ (“stench, odor, fragrance”), from Proto-Germanic *stankwiz (“smell, fragrance, odor”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)tewg- (“to push, hit”). Cognate with Dutch stank (“stench, odor”), German Stank, Gestank (“stench, odor, smell”), Danish stank (“stench”), Swedish stank (“stench”), Icelandic stækja (“stench”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɛntʃ

Noun

stench (plural stenches)

1. a strong foul smell, a stink
2. (figuratively) a foul quality

   the stench of political corruption

3. (obsolete) A smell or odour, not necessarily bad.
   • Dryden

     Clouds of savoury stench involve the sky.

Verb

stench (third-person singular simple present stenches, present participle stenching, simple past and past participle stenched)

1. (obsolete) To cause to emit a disagreeable odour; to cause to stink.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Young to this entry?)

2. To stanch.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Harvey to this entry?)