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nose Definition

nose (nōz)

noun

  1. the part of the human face between the mouth and the eyes, having two openings and cavities behind them for breathing and smelling
  2. the part that corresponds to this in animals; snout, muzzle, etc.
  3. the sense of smell
  4. the overall smell of a wine; bouquet
  5. the power of tracking or perceiving by or as if by scent a nose for news
  6. anything resembling a nose in shape or position; projecting or foremost part, as a nozzle, spout, prow of a ship, front of an airplane, etc.
  7. the nose regarded as a symbol of prying or meddling to poke one's nose into another's affairs
  8. Slang a police spy or informer

Etymology: ME < OE nosu, akin to Ger nase, orig. a dual, meaning “the two nostrils” < IE base *nas-, nostril > Sans nāsā, the nose, lit., pair of nostrils, L nasus, nose & naris (pl. nares), nostril

transitive verb nosed, nos·ing

  1. to discover or perceive by or as if by the sense of smell
  2. to touch or rub with the nose
  3. to push with the nose: with aside, open, etc.
  4. to make or push (a way, etc.) cautiously or slowly with the front forward the ship nosed its way into the harbor

intransitive verb

  1. to smell; sniff
  2. to pry inquisitively
  3. to move cautiously or slowly with the front end forward

nose Idioms

by a nose

  1. by the length of the animal's nose in horse racing, etc.
  2. by a very small margin

count noses

to count the number of people present, voting, etc.

cut off one's nose to spite one's face

to injure one's own interests, in a fit of anger, resentment, etc.

follow one's nose

to go straight forward

have one's nose out of joint

to be irritated, annoyed, frustrated, etc.

lead by the nose

to dominate completely

look down one's nose at

Informal to be disdainful of

nose out

  1. to defeat by a very small margin
  2. to discover, as by smelling

nose over

to turn over on its nose: said of an airplane moving on the ground

on the nose

Slang
  1. that (a specified horse, etc.) will finish first in a race
  2. precisely; exactly

pay through the nose

Informal to pay an unreasonable price

put someone's nose out of joint

to irritate, annoy, frustrate, etc.

rub someone's nose in

Etymology: from the practice, in housebreaking a pet, of rubbing its nose in its urine or feces

Informal to keep reminding someone of something unpleasant, as a mistake made

turn up one's nose at

to sneer at; scorn

under one's (very) nose

in plain view

nose Synonyms

nose

n.

  1. The organ of smell

    nasal organ, nasal cavity, nares, nasal passages, nostrils, olfactory nerves, snoot*, proboscis*, beak*, bill*, trunk*; see also organ 2.

  2. A projection

    snout, nozzle, muzzle; see projection.

by a nose*

by a very small margin, too close for comfort, barely; see almost.

count noses*

take attendance, add, total, sum up; see count.

cut off one's nose to spite one's face

injure one's own interests, hurt oneself, be self-destructive; see hurt 1.

follow one's nose

go straight forward, continue blindly, keep going; see advance 1, continue 1.

look down one's nose at*

disdain, snub, be disgusted by; see scorn 1.

on the nose*

precisely, to the point, correctly; see exactly.

pay through the nose

pay an unreasonable price, pay heavily, get taken*; see pay 1.

put one's nose out of joint*
turn up one's nose at

sneer at, refuse, disdain; see scorn 1.

under one's (very) nose

in plain sight, visible, at one's fingertips; see obvious 1.

nose Synonyms

nose

v.

nose Usage Examples

Object

plier: Spanners did not work so I used long nosed pliers.

Converse of object

  • bleed: I will no longer be caught with a bleeding nose, heart palpatations, week long benders or hurting myself in any major way.
  • upturn: She emerges with a dilapidated hair-do and a smudge of grime adorning her perfect upturned nose.
  • perfume: Tasting Notes: A perfumed nose with hints of peach and citrus fruits combined with a steely, minerally edge.
  • pinch: Clearing is the same as with a conventional mask, pinching the nose from the outside.
  • irritate: As the nicotine is absorbed through the lining of the nose it is absorbed fast but it can irritate the nose at first.

Adjective modifier

  • runny: A runny nose = cold or allergies - see a vet.
  • stuffy: Colds, however, are milder and more likely to cause a runny or stuffy nose.
  • bloody: Labor may well deserve a bloody nose in this week's elections.
  • aquiline: Despite the loss of his aquiline nose, the eyes are well-formed and almond-shaped betraying crisply defined lids.
  • hooked: She has a large, hooked nose, gaps in her teeth and sunken eyes.
  • broken: She stumbled home with a broken nose, her new coat held to her face to stem the blood.

Modifies a noun

  • cone: Bubble two-seat tandem cockpit and a short nose cone.
  • fairing: The V60 Magnesium breathes through the 'Air Runner ' dynamic air scoop located in the middle of the nose fairing.
  • plier: They require a special tool to loosen them, that said its very easy to loosen them with a pair of needle nose pliers.
  • leather: The nose leather and eye rims are black and the paw pads are black or dark brown.
  • radome: The nose radome came from the Reconnaissance pod supplied in the Matchbox Phantom kit.
  • stud: Students wearing eye-brow studs, nose studs and similar items will be asked to remove them whilst at school.

Noun used with modifier

spindle: The throat was 11 " as was the maximum vertical clearance between the table and the spindle nose.

Preposition: with

aroma: Tasting Note: Has a rich deep color and a wonderfully expressive nose with intense aromas of walnut, plums and crushed berries.