smell a rat

Register · Informal Informal — used in casual, everyday conversation among friends and family. Avoid in formal writing or professional settings. CEFR B2

Post

Example

“When the deal sounded too good, she began to smell a rat.”

Dictionary details

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

let the cat out of the bag Informal · CEFR B1

To reveal a secret, usually by mistake.

pull someone's leg Informal · CEFR B1

To tease or joke with someone by telling them something untrue in fun.

spill the beans Informal · CEFR B1

To reveal a secret, often accidentally.

behind the scenes Neutral · CEFR B2

happening privately or secretly, not in public view

butter someone up Informal · CEFR B2

to flatter someone in order to gain a favour

catch someone red-handed Neutral · CEFR B2

to catch someone in the very act of doing something wrong

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

markdown