smell blood

Definitions

To sense that one has an advantage over an adversary or rival.

idiomatic

Examples

“Later he intended to continue⟳ his goading of Neil. He could smell⟳ blood now; if only he could get⟳ the man to fall⟳ apart in one of their clubs.”

“Smelling blood in the economic meltdown, the lower house of parliament, or Duma, took the offensive, calling for Yeltsin to resign.”

“The Pistons, once they smelled blood, got more aggressive and the Spurs simply ran out of gas.”

“When buyers do turn⟳ up nowadays, she says, “they smell⟳ blood in the water and routinely offer⟳ 15 to 20 percent below the asking price.””

CEFR level