a nose for something
Meaning: a talent for finding or recognizing something; keen instinct.
Language: English
Literally: a nose for something
Category: Animals
Origin: Extends the literal sense of smell into the territory of instinct and judgment, and the bridge is the hunting dog. Scent hounds were bred, valued, and openly praised for their noses, and a dog said to have a good nose was one that could follow a trail no human could detect at all — knowledge arriving through a channel unavailable to the people relying on it. That made the nose a natural figure for the kind of insight that cannot be shown as reasoning: the person with a nose for trouble, for a bargain, or for a story does not deduce it so much as detect it. The figurative use is established in English from the 1600s, and it later produced fixed collocations of its own, particularly "a nose for news," a stock phrase in journalism by the late 1800s.
More idioms — Animals
- Il y a anguille sous roche — Something suspicious is quietly going on beneath the surface.
- Ménager la chèvre et le chou — To try to please both sides of a conflict without committing to either.
- Prendere due piccioni con una fava — To achieve two goals with a single effort.
- 猫舌 (Nekojita) — Unable to handle hot food or drinks.
- Ни пуха ни пера (Ni pukha ni pera) — Good luck — to which the ritual reply is 'To the devil!'.
- Ехать зайцем (Yekhat' zaytsem) — To ride a train or bus without paying.
More English idioms
- throw in the towel — to give up; to concede defeat.
- keep your chin up — to remain optimistic; to stay courageous during difficulty.
- pitter-patter of little feet — the sound of children running; anticipation of having babies.
- be in someone's shoes — to understand someone's perspective; to experience their situation.
- the real McCoy — the genuine article; something authentic and high quality.
- cry over spilled milk — to regret something past; useless to grieve over unchangeable events.
From our proverbs
- After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb — Every achievement reveals further challenges ahead; success is a continuous journey.
- Fortune favors the prepared mind — Success comes not from luck alone but from being ready to seize opportunities when they a…
- Every wall is a door — What appears to be an impassable barrier can be transformed into an opportunity.