bloodhound
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a large dog with long ears and a very strong sense of smell, used for finding people who are lost.
n.a large scenthound breed characterized by long, drooping ears and an exceptional ability to follow aged scent trails over long distances.
Simple“The police used a bloodhound to find the child who had wandered into the woods.”
In context“The search party relied on the bloodhound's keen sense of smell to track the missing hiker through the dense underbrush.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.a person, such as a detective, who is very good at finding clues or hidden information.
n.a person who is adept at tracking down information, evidence, or individuals through persistent investigation.
Simple“The journalist was a real bloodhound when it came to finding secret government documents.”
In context“The lead investigator was a natural bloodhound, uncovering financial discrepancies that three previous auditors had completely overlooked.”
Synonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to follow or hunt someone down in a determined way.
v.to pursue or track someone relentlessly, as if using a scent.
Simple“Reporters bloodhounded the celebrity until she finally agreed to an interview.”
In context“The tax authorities bloodhounded the suspect across three different jurisdictions until they finally secured enough evidence for an arrest.”
UsageUsually takes a direct object.
Inherited from Middle English blodhound, blodhond; equivalent to blood + hound. Cognate with Dutch bloedhond (“bloodhound”), Middle Low German blōthunt (“bloodhound”), German Bluthund (“bloodhound”), Danish blodhund (“bloodhound”), Swedish blodhund (“bloodhound”). The detective sense follows from the dog's ability to follow a trail.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.