smell out

• Phrasal verb, das bedeutet, etwas durch Intuition oder Nachforschung zu entdecken oder aufzudecken; wird oft im übertragenen Sinn verwendet.

A phrasal verb meaning to detect or discover something through intuition or investigation, often used figuratively.

unzählbar · transitiv · Phrasal, trennbar

1. Detect by smellinformal

   To discover or locate something by using the sense of smell.

   Erschnüffeln

   • The dog smelled out the hidden treats in the garden.
   • She smelled out the source of the strange odor in the kitchen.
   • The police used a trained dog to smell out the drugs.

   Synonymenose outscent outsniff out

2. Discover or uncoverinformal

   To find out something hidden or secret through investigation or intuition.

   aufdecken

   • The journalist smelled out the corruption scandal.
   • He smelled out the lies in her story.
   • They smelled out the truth after weeks of research.

   Synonymedetectdiscoverferret outfind outroot outsniff outuncover

Grundverbsmell