smell the barn | Idiomator

Meaning: (intransitive,chieflyUS,idiomatic)Toactwithrenewedenergyorspeedor toexperienceheightenedanticipationas oneapproachesadestination,goal, or otherdesiredoutcome.We’ll get home right quick—old Dobbin knows the way better than you and I do, and he cansmell the barnbesides.1935August 12,H[ilmar] R[obert] Baukhage, “In the Executive Offices”, inDavid Lawrence, editor,The United States News: The Weekly Newsmagazine of National Affairs, volume 3, number32, Washington, D.C.,→OCLC,page 4, column 2:Anyhow, Congress, like the old horse that starts into a long deferred trot when she "smells the barn," began to show action and as hearts on Capitol Hill leaned homeward, thoughts in the White House turned to the open road—or at least the railroad.1996August 11,Ian Fisher, “To U.S. troops in Bosnia, home looks closer”, inThe New York Times‎[1], New York, N.Y.:The New York Times Company,→ISSN,→OCLC, archived fromthe originalon2 July 2021, page18:[…]Charlie Company could leave as early as mid-October—which is soon but not quite soon enough for them. "The horsessmell the barnright now," said Capt. Clark D. Carr, the battalion's Protestant chaplain, who knows perhaps better than anyone how badly they want to leave.2001summer, Bryan P. McCoy, “Identify and Combat Five Treacherous Phenomena”, inGround Warrior, Norfolk, Va.:Naval Safety Center,United States Navy,→OCLC:Smelling the barncan result in driving too fast, not clearing weapons properly, and bypassing ammunition-recovery procedures.2005, Helena P. Schrader, chapter 3, inThe Olympic Charioteer, Lincoln, Neb.:iUniverse,→ISBN,page27:Antyllus leaned his ear closer to the slave at his feet without taking his eyes off his over-eager team [of horses], which alreadysmelt the barnahead of them.2016May,Walter R. Borneman, “Return to Manila”, inMacArthur at War: World War II in the Pacific, New York, N.Y.:Little, Brown and Company,→ISBN,page465:[H]e [Douglas MacArthur] had smelled the gunpowder again and in old age was once again the dashing young brigadier of World War I;[…]This close, he simply couldn't abide sitting still. Like a horse, hesmelled the barnand was determined to push ahead.

Examples:

EN: I smell the barn on this.
ES: Huelo el granero en esto.
ID: Aku merasa ada antisipasi tentang ini.
EN: I could smell the barn.
ES: Estoy muy emocionado.
ID: Aku hampir dapatkan harta karunnya.

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