a nose for trouble

1. A seemingly intuitive inclination to cause or get into trouble. I look away for a few minutes, and he's colored all over the walls! I swear, that kid has always had a nose for trouble! In the film, a con man with a nose for trouble enters into a dangerous game with a crime lord's mistress. I don't like these new kids Kyle's hanging out with. They all seem to have a nose for trouble.

2. An intuitive ability to sense or detect potential sources of danger, difficulty, or disturbance. I always trust Aisha's judgment in these issues. She's got an incredible nose for trouble in the stock markets. Our marriage counselor seems to have a nose for trouble and so is very adept at redirecting us into more productive ways of communicating. He's a safety inspector—of course he has a nose for trouble. He could spot shoddy wiring from a mile away!