Old English edit

Etymology edit

From ġe- +‎ stincan.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /jeˈstin.kɑn/, [jeˈstiŋ.kɑn]

Verb edit

ġestincan

  1. to smell (sense with the nose; transitive)
    Mid mīnum ġeposum ne mæġ iċ nāwiht ġestincan.
    With my cold, I can't smell a thing.
    • c. 897, Alfred the Great, translation of Pope Gregory's Pastoral Care
      Wē oft ġestincaþ mid ūrum nosum þæt wē mid ūrum ēagum ġesēon ne magon.
      We often smell with our noses what we can't see with our eyes.
    • c. 996, Ælfric, Lives of Saints
      Þæt wīf wundrode þæs wynsuman brǣðes, and cwæþ þæt hēo nǣfre ǣr nāht swelċes ne ġestunce.
      The woman was amazed at the delightful scent, and said she'd never smelled anything like it before.

Conjugation edit