reek

pronunciation

How to pronounce reek in British English: UK [ri:k] word uk audio image

How to pronounce reek in American English: US [rik] word us audio image

Noun:

a distinctive odor that is offensively unpleasant
Verb:

have an element suggestive (of something)
smell badly and offensively
be wet with sweat or blood, as of one's face
give off smoke, fumes, warm vapour, steam, etc.

Word Origin

reek: reek: [OE] Reek originally meant ‘smoke’ (Edinburgh was called Auld [old] Reekie because of its smoky chimneys, not because it smelled). The word came from a prehistoric Germanic *raukiz, which also produced German rauch, Dutch rook, Swedish rök, and Danish røk, all meaning ‘smoke’. It is likely that it was related to Latin ructāre ‘spew out’ (source of English eructate [17]), in which case the etymological notion underlying reek ‘smoke’ is of something ‘belching’ out. The English sense ‘bad smell’ emerged in the 17th century.=> eructate

reek (n.): Old English rec (Anglian), riec (West Saxon), "smoke from burning material," probably from a Scandinavian source such as Old Norse reykr, Danish rǿg, Swedish rök "smoke, steam," from Proto-Germanic *raukiz (cognates: Old Frisian rek, Middle Dutch rooc, Old High German rouh, German Rauch "smoke, steam"), from PIE *reug- "to vomit, belch;" also "smoke, cloud." Sense of "stench" is attested 1650s, via the notion of "that which rises" (compare reek (v.)).

reek (v.): Old English recan (Anglian), reocan (West Saxon) "emit smoke," from Proto-Germanic *reukan (cognates: Old Frisian reka "smoke," Middle Dutch roken, Dutch rieken "to smoke," Old High German riohhan "to smoke, steam," German rauchen "to smoke," riechen "to smell"). Originally a strong verb, with past tense reac, past participle gereocen, but occasionally showing weak conjugation in Old English. Meaning "to emit smoke;" meaning "to emit a bad smell" is recorded from 1710 via sense "be heated and perspiring" (early 15c.). Related: Reeked; reeking.

vi.