The smell of an oily rag

Meaning

The idiom "the smell of an oily rag" refers to a situation or person that is not very clean, neat, or well-kept. It can also refer to something that is unpleasant or unappealing. This idiom is often used in the negative sense, meaning something that is filthy, dirty, or greasy.

Usage

• The smell of an oily rag filled the kitchen after the chef burnt dinner last night.
• She was disappointed to find that her hotel room smelled like an oily rag after she checked in.
• The old car had a musty smell, like an oily rag left in the corner for too long.
• The new restaurant had a lot of positive reviews, but some customers complained about the smell of an oily rag coming from the kitchen.
• The gardener's hands were covered in dirt and smelled like an oily rag after he finished planting the flowers. The usage of this idiom can vary depending on the context. In sentence 1, it refers to a situation that is unpleasant due to the smell. In sentence 2, it refers to a person or thing that is dirty and unpleasant. In sentence 3, it refers to an object that has been left out for too long and has become smelly. In sentence 4, it refers to a restaurant that has a problem with cleanliness. In sentence 5, it refers to the gardener's hands that are covered in dirt and smell bad.

Roots and History

The idiom "the smell of an oily rag" is believed to have originated from the practice of using old rags or cloth to wipe oil off tools and machinery in factories during the Industrial Revolution era. These rags would absorb the oil and become dirty, which would give them a strong, unpleasant odor. Over time, this idiom has evolved to refer to anything that is filthy, dirty, or greasy.

Synonyms in English

• The stench of garbage
• The reek of rotting meat
• The odor of a skunk
• The smell of burnt rubber
• The scent of moldy bread

Synonyms in other languages

• Le parfum de l'huile (French) - This idiom means "the smell of oil".
• El olof del hierro (Spanish) - This idiom means "the smell of iron".
• La senta di cèppi stufati (Italian) - This idiom means "the smell of stuffy mushrooms", which can refer to something that is unpleasant or dirty.
• L'odeur du singe (French) - This idiom means "the smell of a monkey", which can refer to something that is dirty or unsanitary.
• La senta di limón (Spanish) - This idiom means "the smell of lemons", but it is used to describe something that is clean and fresh, which is the opposite of "the smell of an oily rag".

Similar Idioms

• as a result

• the best of both worlds

• ad hoc