smell test

[smel test]

noun

1. the practice of determining the freshness of fish or other food with the nose rather than the eye.

2. an instinctive assessment of whether someone or something is ethical and genuine or deceptive and corrupt.

Word History and Origins

Origin of smell test¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. pass the smell test, to be found ethical or genuine, typically by an instinctive sense or quick, informal assessment (usually used in the negative).

   Their next concern was would she pass the smell test? Although the age of the painting was scientifically verified, it didn’t pass the smell test with art historians.

Example Sentences

Even if he hadn’t, the argument doesn’t pass the smell test.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And there is the shoddy nature of the indictments themselves, which don’t pass the smell test.

Read more on Slate

"There's just the smell test," a Labour insider said.

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For an awful lot of people, that didn’t pass the smell test, and a whole new set of conspiracy theories were ignited.

Read more on Salon

Patel's critics argue that he does not pass the smell test.

Read more on Salon