'Hark' and 'behold' call attention to what we can hear or see. Is there an equivalent for smell?

Solution 1:

The word smell itself - to perceive or detect the odour or scent of (something) can be used as a verb. Unlike listen and behold, smell is normally used transitively in such contexts - for example...

Smell that! The toast is burning!

A common alternative (also normally used transitively) is...

Sniff this milk! I think it's gone off! sniff: to draw in (a scent, substance, or air) through the nose.

Solution 2:

There are fundamental differences between the perceptions relating to the senses. Assuming people having good eyesight, hearing and so on, and no complicating factors (such as lack of light, being asleep, background noise level), sounds, smells, and prodding and warmth and so on will attract attention (if at sufficient levels) whereas sights (unless accompanied by light at great intensity) are only perceived if the eyes are directed in their direction. Both hark and behold are pragmatic markers, both focusing devices, but hark is relating to something the audience must already be aware of (assuming literalness - which may not be the attention in the carol). Hark must then mean 'let's really listen to this' whereas behold may mean 'look who's over there' or 'let's give this a thorough examination' or 'will you look at that!'. The equivalents with smell would be: "Sniff this milk" (as FumbleFingers observes) or "Just smell the wonderful fragrance in this garden!" The pointing out of a smell which then becomes obvious doesn't work as it does with seeing.

Solution 3:

You wouldn't use it for pleasant fragrances like fine perfumes, freshly-cut flowers, or Christmas garlands, but if you're looking for an interjection associated with the sense of smell, there's always:

• P.U. (also pue, peuh, peugh, pyoo, pu, and pew)

Wikipedia defines it as

an interjection used to express contempt, disgust, or derision, often at a smell.

Macmillan lists it as an interjection, and says:

used for saying you smell something unpleasant.

It's defined at Wiktionary as:

an expression of disgust in response to an unpleasant odor.

I've heard it uttered from time to time, especially when driving past pig farms, water treatment plants, large waste dumps, or certain places along the northern New Jersey turnpike.