nose out
Definition
- Verb (transitive):
- To discover, detect, or find out something, especially something hidden or subtle, often through persistent investigation or by a narrow margin.
- To defeat or outdo someone or something by a very small margin.
Usage
The verb "nose out" is used to describe the act of detecting something obscure or winning a close competition. It often implies a sense of effort, keen perception, or a very slight advantage.
Examples
- Verb (detect/find):
- The reporter managed to nose out the corruption scandal.
- The dog nosed out the truffles buried under the oak tree.
- Verb (win narrowly):
- The underdog candidate nosed out the favorite by just fifty votes.
- Our team nosed out their rivals in the final seconds of the game.
Advanced Usage
- "to nose out a secret": to uncover a secret through careful inquiry or intuition.
- She has a talent for nosing out office gossip.
- "to nose out the competition": to barely beat the competition.
- The new model nosed out its competitors for the top safety rating.
Variants and Related Words
- Nose (verb): To move forward cautiously or pry curiously (e.g., ).
- Nose around (phrasal verb): To look around or search inquisitively and often intrusively.
- I saw someone nosing around the back yard yesterday.
Synonyms
- Detect: To discover or identify the presence of something.
- Unearth: To find something that was hidden or lost.
- Edge out: To defeat or surpass by a small margin.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Sniff out: To discover or detect something, very similar in meaning to "nose out" in the detection sense.
- The inspector sniffed out the flaw in the security system.
Related Idioms
- Win by a nose: To win a race or competition by a very small distance or margin. This idiom, originating from horse racing, is closely related to the "narrow victory" sense of "nose out."
- In a photo finish, the grey horse won by a nose.
Verb
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recognize or detect by or as if by smelling
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He can smell out trouble
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