bloodhound

noun

Etymology: 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.

1. A large scenthound famed for its ability to follow a scent many days old, over vast distances. This dog is often used as a police dog to track missing people, fleeing suspects, or escaped prisoners.

   “Someone stole our bloodhounds, but we got the backup bloodhounds to chase the first tier of bloodhounds.”

2. A detective or other person skilled at finding people or clues.
3. A bloodthirsty person.

   “For now the despot’s blood-hounds with their prey, Unarmed and unaware, were gorging deep Their gluttony of death; the loose array Of horsemen o’er the wide fields murdering sweep, And with loud laughter for their tyrant reap A harvest sown with other hopes; […]”