eau de cologne
/ˌəʊ də kəˈləʊn
/noun (plural eaux de cologne pronounced same) [mass noun]
A toilet water with a strong scent, originally made in Cologne: the drenching smell of eau de cologne...
- His money and his establishment job are even more powerful than his eau de cologne in making people think he smells sweet.
- Their shoes were highly polished and their sports kit was laundered and ironed after every game and probably sprayed with eau de cologne.
- Whether these inducements worked or not I cannot tell, except to say that all four of my colleagues smelt like they had bathed in eau de cologne for a week before the contest began.
Origin
Early 19th century: French, literally 'water of Cologne'.