smell of the lamp

verb

To bear marks of great study and labor.

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Meanings

verbsmell of the lamp (third-person singular simple present smells of the lamp, present participle smelling of the lamp, simple past and past participle smelled of the lamp or smelt of the lamp)

present singular third person smells of the lamp · participle present smelling of the lamp · participle past smelled of the lamp · past smelled of the lamp · participle past smelt of the lamp · past smelt of the lamp

  1. archaicidiomaticTo bear marks of great study and labor.

Origin

Suggesting work done throughout the night during the days of oil lamps.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

smell of the lamp. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smell%20of%20the%20lamp

MLA

“smell of the lamp.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smell%20of%20the%20lamp. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “smell of the lamp,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/smell%20of%20the%20lamp.

Source: smell of the lamp on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.