reek of
reek of — idiom
1. If a situation, event, or action reeks of a particular bad quality, it strongly
If a situation, event, or action reeks of a particular bad quality, it strongly gives the impression that the quality is present — for example, a decision that seems dishonest or an apology that seems false.
The committee's decision reeks of hypocrisy, since they rejected the same plan last year.
object: abstract noun (hypocrisy, corruption)
Shanti's sudden offer to help reeked of ulterior motives, so David turned it down.
past tense: reeked of + noun phrase
From the very start, the whole contract reeked of corruption and hidden fees.
Eli's apology reeked of insincerity, and Maeve did not accept it.
The government's response to the crisis reeked of greed and ignored ordinary people's needs.
- smack of
very similar meaning but slightly more informal and less common than 'reek of'
- suggest
more neutral and weaker; does not carry the same strong negative connotation
- be redolent of
formal and literary; can describe both positive and negative qualities
文法句型
event/situation + reek of + [abstract noun denoting unpleasant quality]
用法筆記
Subject is always an event, decision, statement, or action — never a person. The object is always an abstract noun expressing a negative quality (hypocrisy, corruption, greed, dishonesty, etc.), never a concrete noun or a person.