Cambridge Dictionaries online Cambridge Dictionaries online

The most popular online dictionary and thesaurus for learners of English

  

smell sth/sb out

mainly UK (US usually sniff sth/sb out) phrasal verb with smell
 
 
/smel/ verb (smelled or UK also smelt, smelled or UK smelt)

Definition

to discover where something or someone is by smelling: At customs, dogs are used to smell out drugs in passengers' luggage.Smells and smellingFinding and discovering
(Definition of smell sth/sb out from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
Focus on the pronunciation of smell sth/sb out