IdiomAnimals
English
Englishsmell a rat
Meaning: To sense that something dishonest is going on.
Example: “When he insisted on paying in cash, I began to smell a rat.”
Origin: A dog or cat smells a rat it cannot see. The phrase is recorded in English from the 16th century.
Equivalents in other languages
Italian: mangiare la foglia Literally: To eat the leaf
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