Dictionary

sniff out en · VERB

Meanings

1. (transitive) To find (something) by using the sense of smell.
   • Because they have far more powerful noses than humans, dogs are ideal to sniff out drugs.
2. (broadly, figuratively, transitive) To detect (something hidden or invisible).
   • Near-synonyms: ferret out, weasel out
   • Luisa Rey plays the ditzy reporter on her best behavior to assure Fay Li she poses no threat. Only then might she be given a free enough rein to sniff out Sixsmith’s fellow dissidents. 2004, David Mitchell, “Half-Lives: The First Luisa Rey Mystery”, in Cloud Atlas, →ISBN, page 130:

Forms

Relateds

scent hound · suss out

Synonyms

ferret out · weasel out

Translations (28)

ru вы́нюхать (find something using smell) · pt farejar (find) · pl niuchać (find something using smell) · pl węszyć (find something using smell) · ja 嗅ぎ付ける (find something using smell) · pl niuchać (find) · ar عَثَر عَلَى (find something using smell) · ru разню́хать (find) · it trovare (find) · pt farejar (find something using smell) · fi nuuskia (find something using smell) · it scovare (find) · cmn 嗅出 (find something using smell) · ru выню́хивать (find something using smell) · ar يَكْتَشِف (find something using smell) · pl wyniuchać (find something using smell) · ru вы́нюхать (find) · hu kiszimatol (find) · cmn 找出 (find) · pl wywęszyć (find) · pl węszyć (find) · pl wyniuchać (find) · ru выню́хивать (find) · hu kiszimatol (find something using smell) · ja 嗅ぎ付ける (find) · ru разню́хивать (find) · ar يَشُمّ (find something using smell) · pl wywęszyć (find something using smell)