scent (redirected from scents)

put/throw someone off the scent

if you throw someone off the scent, you give them false or confusing information to try to stop them discovering something. The police were thrown off the scent for a while by false evidence given by two of the witnesses.

See also: throw

scent blood

to believe that someone you are competing against is having difficulties or problems and to use this to get an advantage for yourself. The manager has already made some serious errors of judgement and it is clear that other employees scent blood.

See also: blood

---

throw someone off the scent

to give someone false or confusing information so that they will not discover something. The police were thrown off the scent for a while by two of the witnesses, who were found later to be lying.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of throw a dog off the scent (= to cause a dog to lose the smell that leads it to a person or animal)

See also: throw