Smelt
Smelt , imperfect and past participle
imp. & past participle of Smell.
Smelt , noun
[Anglo-Saxon smelt, smylt; akin to Danish smelt.]
1.
(Zoology) Any one of numerous species of small silvery salmonoid fishes of the genus Osmerus and allied genera, which ascend rivers to spawn, and sometimes become landlocked in lakes. They are esteemed as food, and have a peculiar odor and taste.
The most important species are the European smelt (Osmerus eperlans) (called also eperlan, sparling, and spirling), the Eastern American smelt (Osmerus mordax), the California smelt (Osmerus thalichthys), and the surf smelt (Hypomesus olidus). The name is loosely applied to various other small fishes, as the lant, the California tomcod, the spawn eater, the silversides.
2.
A gull; a simpleton. [Figurative:; Obsolete] — Beau. & Fl
Collocations (1)
Sand smelt (Zoology) , the silverside.
Smelt , transitive verb
[Of foreign origin; compare Swedish smalta, Dutch smelten, Danish smelte, Icelandic smelta, German schmelzen Old High German smelzan, smelzen; probably akin to Greek {not transcribed}. Compare Enamel, Melt, Mute, v. i., Smalt.]
(Metallurgy) To melt or fuse, as, ore, for the purpose of separating and refining the metal; hence, to reduce; to refine; to flux or scorify; as, to smelt tin.