# smell the barn

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/smell-the-barn
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To act with renewed energy or speed or to experience heightened anticipation as one approaches a destination, goal, or other desired outcome.

## Examples

- The horses run faster when they smell the barn.
- I always smell the barn when I finish the last chapter of a book.
- You really smell the barn once you start packing your bags for home.
- We were tired after the long hike, but we started walking faster once we could smell the barn.
- The marathon runners picked up their pace during the final mile because they could finally smell the barn.
- After three weeks of traveling for work, I started to smell the barn as I drove toward my neighborhood.
- As the final deadline approached, the team worked with renewed intensity, clearly beginning to smell the barn after months of exhaustive labor.

## Origin

The phrase refers to the behaviour of livestock returning to their quarters at the end of the day. It is most commonly associated with a horse drawing a carriage, which is said to increase its pace when it senses that the home journey is nearing its conclusion.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.