smell blood

Related to smell blood: taste blood

smell blood

1. To recognize or detect a weakness or vulnerability (especially a new one) in an opponent, adversary, or subject over which one is trying to gain an advantage. The phrase implies that such a weakness will then be acted upon to gain victory or advantage. Likened to the literal presence of blood in water detected by aquatic predators, such as sharks. The visiting squad is starting to look tired, and the home team smells blood. Look for them to try to close out the game. Do not give any indication that we are willing to settle. If we do, the attorneys will smell blood and we won't get what we want.
2. To be ready, willing, and eager to attack or fight. I could sense that the drunken mob was smelling blood, ready to inflict violence on whomever they encountered.
See also: blood, smell
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

smell blood

Fig. to be ready for a fight; to be ready to attack; to be ready to act. (Like sharks, which are sent into a frenzy by the smell of blood.) Lefty was surrounded, and you could tell that the guys from the other gang smelled blood. The lawyer heard the crash and came running—smelling blood and bucks.
See also: blood, smell
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

smell blood

discern weakness or vulnerability in an opponent.
See also: blood, smell
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

smell blood

tv. to be ready for a fight; to be ready to attack; to be ready to act. (Like sharks, which are sent into a frenzy by the smell of blood.) Lefty was surrounded, and you could tell that the guys from the other gang smelled blood.
See also: blood, smell
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

smell blood

To sense an opportunity for advantage at someone else's expense.
See also: blood, smell
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • scent blood
  • be below the belt
  • below the belt, hit
  • below the belt
  • hit (one) below the belt
  • hit below the belt
  • hit someone below the belt
  • a penny for them
  • get (one) over a barrel
  • get someone over a barrel
References in periodicals archive
With all the hyperbole that farmers seem to reserve exclusively for foxes and mink, Mr Davies, no doubt in order to justify his extreme position, warns: "They will attack if they smell blood".
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FAB Flournoy has warned his Newcastle Eagles that their rivals smell blood again after their shock loss to Cheshire Phoenix.
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The truth is that illegal money lenders have always been there on the periphery of the legitimate loans structure, and when times are tough the sharks smell blood and move in for the kill.
OUR VIEW
You smell blood and have to make your move," he said.
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"They smell blood in the water and that becomes their focus for the week.
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[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Again the Kora heart strings before me vessel arteries no blockage music is detox unplugging centuries slavery aftermath failed reconstruction terror of KKK landless betrayal of all parties to conflict jim crow post black negro neo jim crow down to Obama drama oh, kora you are the one who takes me out of here another land, a time, space, a trillion years ago a thousand million nights on the Senegal, the Congo, the Nile I am the king, I am the farmer, I am the builder, iron worker, goldsmith I am that I am soul of my soul plucker of heart dance holy dance of a thousand years leap into the forest hold the lion above heads dancers of the perfect mask terror of manhood training blood of womanhood see and smell womanhood men know smell blood of the lion.
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The French and the Germans--so often the voices of stagnant conservatism in the EU--seem to smell blood. The EU dairy sector is in a mess and Fischer Boel has been approving emergency aid for milk and butter producers.
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If we can smell blood and muscle tissue, I guarantee deer can too.
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The challengers smell blood in the water, thanks to the federal investigation into whether Young and Stevens accepted bribes, illegal gratuities and unreported gifts from VECO Corp., an international oil-field service company once based in Juneau.
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THE world's best players can smell blood and will thrive on Roger Federer's loss of form this season, claims Radek Stepanek.
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"I think they smell blood in the water, and I think they got her scalp a little too easily," conservative activist Paul Weyrich told The New York Times after Chavez stepped down because she was found out to be too kind to immigrants.
Who Let the Liberals Out?
"Once they got to 2-1 they could smell blood. They knew our away form wasn't good but at least we made a game of it right to the last minute.
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Once that happens a team like Aberdeen smell blood."
We'd have lost to the Blue Brazil; Cowden could've beat us
That aura as king of the mountain goats has now been torn to shreds - and his rivals smell blood.
Aru kicks the living daylights out of Froome