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sleuth

[ slooth ]

/ sluθ /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR sleuth ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a detective.

a bloodhound, a dog used for tracking.

verb (used with or without object)

to track or trail, as a detective.

Origin of sleuth

First recorded in 1875–80; short for sleuthhound

OTHER WORDS FROM sleuth

sleuth·like, adjective su·per·sleuth, noun

Words nearby sleuth

slenderize, slenderness ratio, slept, slesvig, sleswick, sleuth, sleuthhound, slew, slew rate, slewed, sley

Example sentences from the Web for sleuth

If only there were some massive government apparatus available to us to sift through the metadata and sleuth these fakers out.

PS 4 Beats Xbox One For Best New Video Game Console |Winston Ross |June 13, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Some firms charge several thousands of dollars per hour for the sleuth work of a team of six to eight investigators.

Inside the Hunt for Assad’s Billions |Eli Lake |August 17, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
[Styleite] On the DL: Kate Bosworth was sleuth in announcing her engagement to actor Michael Polish.

Lady Gaga Covers Vogue With RuPaul Hair; Kate Bosworth Engaged |The Daily Beast |August 9, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
“Apana once climbed up walls like a pre-Spiderman sleuth and slipped into an opium dive,” writes Huang.

The Legend of Charlie Chan |Paul Devlin |September 5, 2010 |DAILY BEAST

That sleuth is Peter Darwin—no relation to Charles, thanks kindly.

Do I Have to Read Dick Francis? |William Boot |February 20, 2010 |DAILY BEAST
Back in a darkened corner of the drawing-room of the rearmost sleeper the sleuth snored with both eyes and ears open.

The Last Spike |Cy Warman
Not likely, after you and your sleuth hounds had been over the ground!

Simon |J. Storer Clouston
Why, returned Sleuth instantly, I just said I came round to make you a little call.

The New Boys at Oakdale |Morgan Scott
The preacher was as "one-ideaed" as a sleuth hound in pursuit of his quarry.

Into the Highways and Hedges |F. F. Montrsor (Frances Frederica)
Here, yeou better let Sleuth slaughter the language that fashion, grinned Crane.

The New Boys at Oakdale |Morgan Scott

British Dictionary definitions for sleuth

sleuth

/ (sluːθ) /

noun

an informal word for detective

short for sleuthhound (def. 1)

verb

(tr) to track or follow

Word Origin for sleuth

C19: short for sleuthhound, from C12 sleuth trail, from Old Norse sloth; see slot ²