Reference > Brewer’s Dictionary > Smell a Rat (To).

 Smell (an acute sense).Smelling Sin. 
CONTENTS · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD
E. Cobham Brewer 1810–1897. Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898.
 
Smell a Rat (To).
 
To suspect something about to happen. The allusion is to a cat or dog smelling out vermin.   1
   I smell treason. I discern treason involved; I have some aim that would lead to treason.   2
 


 Smell (an acute sense).Smelling Sin. 

 
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