smell a rat

English

Verb

smell a rat

1. (idiomatic) To sense something suspicious.
   • 1663, John Dryden, The Wild Gallant: A Comedy, act 4, sc. 1:

     Oh, are you thereabouts, sir? then I smell a rat, i’faith; but I'll say nothing.

   • 1874, Anthony Trollope, Phineas Redux, ch. 40:

     Mr. Gresham, when he heard this, thought that he began to smell a rat, and was determined to be on his guard.

Translations

to sense something suspicious

• Czech: mít zlou předtuchu (cs), tušit zradu (cs)
• Finnish: haistaa palaneen käryä (fi), olla astian makua (fi)
• French: y avoir anguille sous roche (fr) (there’s an eel under the rock )
• Italian: la gatta ci cova (it) (the cat is hiding something)

• Spanish: oler a gato encerrado (es)
• Swedish: ana ugglor i mossen (sv) (to sense owls in the marsh)

See also

• fishy
• nose test
• smell test