I smell a rat
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
I perceive there is something concealed which is mischievous. The allusion is to a cat smelling a rat, while unable to see it.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “I smell a rat” mean?
I perceive there is something concealed which is mischievous. The allusion is to a cat smelling a rat, while unable to see it.
Is “I smell a rat” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.