nose

/nouz/
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nose

A child points to her nose in the mirror.

Definition
  1. Noun:

    • The part of the face that contains the nostrils and is used for breathing and smelling: The organ of smell and the entrance to the respiratory tract.
    • The sense of smell: The ability to perceive odors.
    • A natural talent for detecting or finding something: An instinctive skill for discovery.
    • The front or projecting part of something: The forward-facing or pointed end of an object, vehicle, or tool.
    • A small margin or lead: A very narrow advantage or distance.
  2. Verb:

    • To search or pry inquisitively: To investigate or look around in a meddlesome way.
    • To move or push forward cautiously: To advance carefully, especially with the front end.
    • To perceive by or as if by smell: To detect or discover through scent or investigation.
    • To touch or rub with the nose: To nuzzle.
    • To defeat by a very small margin: To win narrowly.
Usage Examples
  • Noun:

    • She has a small nose. (She has a small organ on her face for smelling.)
    • The dog has an excellent nose. (The dog has a very good sense of smell.)
    • A good reporter has a nose for news. (A good reporter has a natural talent for finding stories.)
    • The nose of the plane was damaged. (The front part of the aircraft was damaged.)
    • He won the race by a nose. (He won the race by a very small distance.)
  • Verb:

    • Don't nose into my private affairs. (Do not pry into my personal business.)
    • The car nosed into the tight parking spot. (The car moved carefully forward into the narrow space.)
    • The detective nosed out the truth. (The detective discovered the truth through investigation.)
    • The horse nosed my hand. (The horse touched my hand with its nose.)
    • Our team nosed out the competition in the final seconds. (Our team narrowly defeated the competition.)
Advanced Usage
  • To have a nose for something: To have a natural talent for finding or recognizing something.

    • She has a nose for a bargain. (She is naturally skilled at finding good deals.)
  • To keep one's nose out of something: To avoid interfering in something.

    • I wish he would keep his nose out of our project. (I wish he would stop interfering in our project.)
  • To look down one's nose at someone/something: To regard with contempt or disdain.

    • She looks down her nose at fast food. (She regards fast food with disdain.)
  • To pay through the nose: To pay an excessively high price.

    • We paid through the nose for those concert tickets. (We paid a very high price for the tickets.)
  • To turn up one's nose at something: To show scorn or rejection towards something.

    • He turned up his nose at the simple meal. (He rejected the simple meal with scorn.)
  • Under someone's nose: Directly in front of someone, often surprisingly unnoticed.

    • The keys were right under my nose the whole time. (The keys were in plain sight in front of me.)
Variants and Related Words
  • Nosy (adj): Inquisitive in a meddlesome way.
    • Our nosy neighbor knows everyone's business.
  • Nosed (adj): Having a nose of a specified kind.
    • A red-nosed reindeer.
  • Nosebleed (n): A bleed from the nose.
    • He got a nosebleed after the accident.
Synonyms
  • Noun (organ): Snout, proboscis (for animals).
  • Noun (sense): Olfaction, sense of smell.
  • Noun (front): Front, tip, prow, bow.
  • Verb (pry): Snoop, poke, meddle.
  • Verb (detect): Scent, sniff out, discover.
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Nose about/around: To search or pry around a place.
    • The manager is always nosing around the office.
  • Nose out: To discover something by searching; to defeat by a narrow margin.
    • The journalist nosed out the scandal.
    • The underdog nosed out the champion.
  • Nose into: To pry into (a matter).
    • He's always nosing into other people's business.
Related Idioms
  • Cut off one's nose to spite one's face: To harm oneself in the process of trying to harm another.
    • Refusing the promotion just to annoy your boss is cutting off your nose to spite your face.
  • Follow one's nose: To go straight ahead; to act on instinct.
    • Just follow your nose until you see the church.
    • I don't have a map; I'm just following my nose.
  • Keep one's nose to the grindstone: To work hard and steadily.
    • If you keep your nose to the grindstone, you'll finish the project on time.
  • Lead someone by the nose: To control someone completely.
    • He lets his assistant lead him by the nose.
  • Put someone's nose out of joint: To upset or annoy someone, especially by displacing them.
    • Getting the promotion he wanted really put his nose out of joint.
  • Speak through one's nose: To talk with a nasal tone.
    • He has a cold and is speaking through his nose.
nose

A child points to her nose in the mirror.

Noun
  1. a projecting spout from which a fluid is discharged
  2. a natural skill
    • he has a nose for good deals
  3. the sense of smell (especially in animals)
    • the hound has a good nose
  4. a symbol of inquisitiveness
    • keep your nose out of it
  5. a small distance
    • my horse lost the race by a nose
  6. the front or forward projection of a tool or weapon
    • he ducked under the nose of the gun
  7. a front that resembles a human nose (especially the front of an aircraft)
    • the nose of the rocket heated up on reentry
  8. the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
    • he has a cold in the nose
Verb
  1. defeat by a narrow margin
  2. rub noses
  3. push or move with the nose
  4. catch the scent of; get wind of
    • The dog nosed out the drugs
  5. advance the forward part of with caution
    • She nosed the car into the left lane
  6. search or inquire in a meddlesome way
    • This guy is always nosing around the office