smell a rat Definition

rat
noun

1. Any of various small rodents, similar to mice but larger, which are found worldwide in huge numbers, and are notorious pests and transmitters of disease.
2. Any of various unrelated rodents that resemble this animal, eg kangaroo rat.
3. colloq
Someone who is disloyal towards their friends, political party, etc.
4. colloq
A strike-breaker; a blackleg.
5. colloq
A despicable person.

verb, intr ratted, ratting

1. To hunt or chase rats.
2. colloq
To betray their trust or desert them.
Form: rat on someone (usually)
3. colloq
To work as a blackleg.

Derivative: ratter
noun

A dog or other animal that catches and kills rats.

Idiom: smell a rat

colloq
To sense that something is not as it should be.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon ræt.

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smell
noun

1. The sense that allows different odours to be recognized by specialized receptors in the mucous membranes of the nose.
2. The characteristic odour of a particular substance.

Example: It has a strong smell
Thesaurus: fragrance, scent, aroma, perfume, bouquet, odour.
3. An unpleasant odour

Example: What a smell!
4. An act of using this sense.

Example: Have a smell of this
5. A sense, savour or suggestion of something.

Example: The smell of money always brings him back

verb smelled, smelt, smelling

1. To recognize (a substance) by its odour.

Thesaurus: scent, sniff, inhale, get a whiff of, perceive, detect.
intr
2. To give off an unpleasant odour.

Example: This rubbish tip really smells
Thesaurus: stink, reek, stench.
3. To give off a specified odour

Example: the perfume smells flowery.
4. To be aware of something by intuition; to recognize signs or traces of.

Example: I smell a government cover-up

Derivative: smeller
noun

Idiom: smell a rat

See under rat.

Etymology: 12c as smel.

Phrasal Verb: smell of something

To give off an odour of it.To show signs or traces of it.
Example: It is an organization smelling of corruption

Phrasal Verb: smell someone or something out

To track them down by smell, or as if by smell.