- nose
- nose [nōz]n.[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]1. the part of the human face between the mouth and the eyes, having two openings and cavities behind them for breathing and smelling2. the part that corresponds to this in animals; snout, muzzle, etc.3. the sense of smell4. the overall smell of a wine; bouquet5. 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 informervt.nosed, nosing1. to discover or perceive by or as if by the sense of smell2. to touch or rub with the nose3. 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]vi.1. to smell; sniff2. to pry inquisitively3. to move cautiously or slowly with the front end forward——————☆ by a nose1. by the length of the animal's nose in horse racing, etc.2. by a very small margin——————count nosesto count the number of people present, voting, etc.——————cut off one's nose to spite one's faceto injure one's own interests, in a fit of anger, resentment, etc.——————follow one's noseto go straight forward——————have one's nose out of jointto be irritated, annoyed, frustrated, etc.——————lead by the noseto dominate completely——————look down one's nose atInformal to be disdainful of——————nose out1. to defeat by a very small margin2. to discover, as by smelling——————nose overto turn over on its nose: said of an airplane moving on the ground——————on the nose Slang1. that (a specified horse, etc.) will finish first in a race2. precisely; exactly——————pay through the noseInformal to pay an unreasonable price——————put someone's nose out of jointto irritate, annoy, frustrate, etc.——————rub someone's nose in[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 atto sneer at; scorn——————under one's very nose or under one's nosein plain view
English World dictionary. V. Neufeldt. 2014.