come up smelling like a rose
To maintain a favorable reputation despite involvement in a scandalous or otherwise negative situation. By reporting his colleagues as soon as he learned of their dishonest business practices, the CEO came up smelling like a rose.
come up smelling like a rose
and come up smelling like rosesFig. to end up looking good or respectable after being involved in some difficult or notorious affair. I was surprised that my congressional representative came up smelling like a rose after his colleagues investigated him.