smell blood: meaning & examples

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Language: English

Meanings:

  • 1.

    USUKAustralianeutral
    • To detect the actual presence of blood by its odor.

    Examples

    Beta

    • As we entered the abandoned house, I could smell blood near the broken window.

      As we entered the abandoned house, I could smell blood near the broken window.

    • The hunter smelled blood on the forest trail, which confirmed the wounded deer was close by.

      The hunter smelled blood on the forest trail, which confirmed the wounded deer was close by.

    • After the accident, the paramedics smelled blood in the air and rushed to find the injured person.

      After the accident, the paramedics smelled blood in the air and rushed to find the injured person.

    • She smelled blood on her hands after cleaning the cut on her brother's finger.

      She smelled blood on her hands after cleaning the cut on her brother's finger.

  • 2.

    USUKAustraliainformal
    • To perceive that someone or something is vulnerable, weakened, or ripe for exploitation.
    • To become eager or aggressive in seeking advantage, attack, or gain once an opportunity or weakness is detected.

    Examples

    Beta

    • When the company announced layoffs, competitors quickly smelled blood and started poaching their top employees.

      When the company announced layoffs, competitors quickly smelled blood and started poaching their top employees.

    • You could tell the prosecutor smelled blood in the defendant’s shaky testimony and pressed harder.

      You could tell the prosecutor smelled blood in the defendant’s shaky testimony and pressed harder.

    • Investors smell blood whenever a market dips, hoping to buy undervalued stocks.

      Investors smell blood whenever a market dips, hoping to buy undervalued stocks.

Examples:

  • EN: He only needs to smell blood.
    ES: Sólo tiene necesidad de oler la sangre.
  • EN: Maybe he smell blood pretty quick.
    ES: Puede que no tarde en olerla.
  • EN: Hey, Mike, get some men and round up the cats before they smell blood.
    ES: Mike, busca ayuda y rodea a los felinos... antes de que huelan sangre.
  • EN: They can smell blood a mile away.
    ES: Pueden oler la sangre a una milla de distancia.
  • EN: Once they smell blood, they come after us like vultures.
    ES: Una vez que huelen sangre, aparecen como buitres.
  • EN: Hungry dogs come running when they smell blood.
    ES: ¡El olor de la sangre atrae a los perros hambrientos!
  • EN: The vultures are beginning to smell blood.
    ES: Los buitres han empezado ya a olfatear la sangre.
  • EN: A shark can smell blood a mile off when he's hungry, and Mundt is hungry for our blood.
    ES: Un tiburón huele la sangre a un kilómetro cuando tiene hambre, y Mundt tiene hambre de nuestra sangre.
  • EN: When they smell blood, they attack in mass and can devour an ox or a person... in a jiffy.
    ES: Cuando huelen la sangre, atacan en masa y devoran a un buey o a una persona... en un santiamén.
  • EN: They smell blood.
    ES: Huelen la sangre.
  • EN: I smell blood.
    ES: Huelo a sangre.
    ES: Huelo sangre.
  • EN: I can smell blood.
    ES: Huelo sangre.
  • EN: They really smell blood on this one.
    ES: Huelen la sangre.
  • EN: They smell blood, and we must feed them something now.
    ES: Huelen la sangre, y debemos alimentarles de alguna manera.
  • EN: I smell blood of an asylum
    ES: Huelo sangre de un asilo
  • EN: He only needs to smell blood.
    ES: Sólo tiene necesidad de oler la sangre.
  • EN: Maybe he smell blood pretty quick.
    ES: Puede que no tarde en olerla.

Related Idioms

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Sourced from Wiktionary

Source: Wiktionary

smell blood: Meaning, Examples & Usage (English) | Idiomator