ŏdōror, ātus, 1, v. dep. [odor], to smell at, examine by smelling (cf. olfacio).
I Lit.: pallam, Plaut. Men. 1, 2, 55.—
B Transf., to smell out , detect by the scent; to scent : ibo odorans, quasi canis venaticus, Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 113: cibum, Hor. Epod. 6, 10: hominem, Col. 6, 2: vultures sagacius odorantur, Plin. 10, 69, 88, § 191: bellum, Vulg. Job, 39, 25.—
II Trop.
A To aspire to , aim at a thing, in a contemptuous sense; to snuff , as a dog: quos odorari hunc decemviratum suspicamini, Cic. Agr. 2, 24, 65.—
B To search out , trace out , investigate : odorabantur omnia et pervestigabant, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 13, § 31: quid sentiant, id. de Or. 2, 44, 186: quid futurum sit, id. Att. 14, 22, 1: soles enim tu haec festive odorari, id. ib. 4, 14, 2: pecuniam, id. Clu. 30, 82: tu velim ex Fabio odorere, id. Att. 4, 8, 4: sagacius, id. ib. 6, 4, 3: odorandi vias occultas sagax, Amm. 14, 5, 6.—
C To get an inkling or smattering of any thing: odoratus philosophiam, Tac. Or. 19, 3: veritatem leviter, Lact. 7, 1, 11.