sixth sense: a special ability to know or understand something without using the five usual senses
Can Dogs Tell Time with Their Nose or Do They Have a Sixth Sense?
Jazz, a family dog, seems to have a special ability to know when his owner, Johnny, is coming home. Every day, Jazz jumps onto the sofa about 20 minutes before Johnny arrives. Many dog owners say their pets can sense when someone is coming home, but how do they do it? Are they psychic?
Some say it’s not a sixth sense. They think that dogs can use their sense of smell to tell time. As Johnny is away, his smell in the house slowly fades. When the smell fades to a certain level, Jazz may think it’s time for Johnny to return.
To test this idea, Christine, Johnny’s partner, used some of Johnny’s freshly worn t-shirts. She waved them around the living room later in the day. This was like “resetting the clock” for Jazz. For the first time, Jazz did not jump up on the sofa when he normally would. He seemed surprised when Johnny came home later.
This experiment recorded by the BBC show Inside the Animal Mind is not scientific. There could be many reasons for Jazz’s behavior. However, a dog’s sense of smell might help them understand time, a concept usually thought of as unique to humans.
Sample sentences
1. Sometimes, I feel like I have a sixth sense when I know my friend is about to call me.
2. My cat seems to have a sixth sense about when I’m feeling sad and needs comfort.
3. I think my mom has a sixth sense when it comes to knowing if I’m lying.
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