Etymology Journal ยท S
Smell a rat
Meaning
- To suspect that something is wrong, dishonest, or suspicious about a situation. It means you detect something fishy going on behind the scenes.
Suspicious, guarded
Used in a sentence
- When he offered to pay for everything, I started to smell a rat.
- I smell a rat with this new investment deal.
- Something about his story did not add up, and I really smelled a rat.
The backstory
The phrase likely stems from the fact that a cat would smell a rat before it saw it. It reflects the idea of sensing danger or deceit before it becomes obvious.
Heard in
Nationwide
Vibe check