sniff out (someone/something)

to discover someone or something, usually only after a special effort.

Part of their job is to sniff out talented new writers.

The FBI knew they had a double agent in their midst, but it took years to sniff him out.

• feel the pinch
• feel under the weather
• feel up
• feel way
• feel your oats
• feel your way
• feet of clay
• feet on the ground
• femme fatale
• fender bender
• fend for
• fend for yourself
• fend off
• fend off someone
• fend off something
• ferret out
• ferret out something
• fever pitch
• few and far between
• few fries short of a Happy Meal
• fiddle away
• fiddle away something
• fiddle while Rome burns
• fiddle with
• fiddle with something