smelt

Everyday

1. (UK) Past form of smell: noticed a smell, or gave off a smell. tree →
2. To heat rock (ore) until the metal in it melts out. tree →
3. A small silver fish found in the sea and lakes. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday UK and Commonwealth English «it smelt lovely» is common; US English prefers smelled. In science and history, smelting iron and copper in furnaces began the Iron Age and Bronze Age. Phrases: smelt of, smelt iron.

Examples

• The kitchen smelt of fresh bread. tree →
• I smelt smoke and called for help. tree →
• The dog smelt something in the bushes. tree →
• People smelted iron in hot furnaces. tree →
• Copper is smelted from rocks called ore. tree →
• We caught smelt in the lake. tree →
• I smelt it; it smelt honey. tree →

Note

Both smelt and smelled are correct as the past of smell; smelt is British, smelled is more American. The «metal» smelt is a regular verb: smelted. The joke «Who smelt it dealt it» uses the smell meaning.

In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: Jeremiah uses smelting as God's picture for refining His people in fire to test them and remove their impurities. Tradition reads this as the purpose of suffering, to purify. In the primary lessons: In everyday UK and Commonwealth English «it smelt lovely» is common; US English prefers smelled. In science and history, smelting iron and copper in furnaces began the Iron Age and Bronze Age. Phrases: smelt of, smelt iron.

Examples

• Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will smelt them, and try them; for how else should I do, because of the daughter of My people? (Prophets JER.9.6, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Both smelt and smelled are correct as the past of smell; smelt is British, smelled is more American. The «metal» smelt is a regular verb: smelted. The joke «Who smelt it dealt it» uses the smell meaning.