sniff out

sniff out (third-person singular simple present sniffs out, present participle sniffing out, simple past and past participle sniffed out)

1. (transitive) To find (something) by using the sense of smell.

   Because they have far more powerful noses than humans, dogs are ideal to sniff out drugs.

2. (transitive, figurative, by extension) To detect (something hidden or invisible).

   Near-synonyms: ferret out, weasel out