gone off the scent

[GUEST2008]

Hi

One guy is wondering why an old general came to his house asking him about his subordinate who worked for him.

Later he thought to himself: His faithful dog had gone off the scent and the old man was operating blind.

Do you think "gone off the scent" here mean the same as "throw/put sb off the scent"?

 

[vil]

I’m not a teacher.

Do you think "gone off the scent" here mean the same as "throw/put somebody off the scent"?

Hi GUEST2800,

In my poor opinion the meanings of the mentioned above expressions are very close but there is a subtle distinction.

His faithful dog had gone off the scent and the old man was operating blind.

go off the scent = be off the sent = be at a loss = be puzzled, perplexed, in a state of uncertainty; lose track of; be on a false scent

“Any news Mr. Nadgett?” “I think we have some news at last, sir.” “I’m happy to her it. It began to fear you were off the scent, Mr. Nadgett.” (Ch. Dickens, “Martin Chuzzlewit”)

“Go off the scent” is opposite of “go on the right scent”

The murder was so cleverly done that the police have had an excessively hard task, but they’re sure they’re on the right scent at last”

throw somebody off the scent = to give someone false or confusing information so that they will not discover something

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of throw a dog off the scent (to cause a dog to lose the smell that leads it to a person or animal)

throw off the scent - Idioms - by the Free Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

put somebody off the scent = to distract someone or a group from following a scent or trail.

put off the scent - Idioms - by the Free Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

put someone off the track = to cause someone to lose a trail that is being followed.

put off the track - Idioms - by the Free Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

Regards,

V.