Definition of reek

The word "reek" has its origins in Old English, a language spoken in England before the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Old English word was "rychan," which means "smoke" or "fume." This Old English word is believed to have evolved from an earlier Germanic language called West Saxon. In West Saxon, the word was "rycan," which had the same meaning as its Old English counterpart. The Old English word "rychan" evolved over time, and by the Middle English period (1100-1500), it had taken on the meaning of "to emit a foul or pungent odor," which eventually led to its modern meaning of "to smell bad" or "to give off an unpleasant odor." The meaning of the word has changed slightly over time, and today, the word "reek" is typically used to describe something that emits a foul or unpleasant odor, although it can also refer to the smell of something pleasant, such as in the phrase "reeking of success." Overall, the word "reek" has a rich linguistic history, and its meaning has evolved over time to reflect the changing usage of the English language.