—n.
1 an organ above the mouth on the face or head of a human or animal, containing nostrils and used for smelling and breathing.
2 a the sense of smell (dogs have a good nose). b the ability to detect a particular thing (a nose for scandal).
3 the odour or perfume of wine, tea, tobacco, hay, etc.
4 the open end or nozzle of a tube, pipe, pair of bellows, retort, etc.
5 a the front end or projecting part of a thing, e.g. of a car or aircraft. b = NOSING.
6 sl. an informer of the police.
—v.
1 tr. (often foll. by out) a perceive the smell of, discover by smell. b detect.
2 tr. thrust or rub one's nose against or into, esp. in order to smell.
3 intr. (usu. foll. by about, around, etc.) pry or search.
4 a intr. make one's way cautiously forward. b tr. make (one's or its way).
Phrases and idioms:
as plain as the nose on your face easily seen. by a nose by a very narrow margin (won the race by a nose). count noses count those present, one's supporters, etc.; decide a question by mere numbers. cut off one's nose to spite one's face disadvantage oneself in the course of trying to disadvantage another. get up a person's nose sl. annoy a person. keep one's nose clean sl. stay out of trouble, behave properly. keep one's nose to the grindstone see GRINDSTONE. nose-cone the cone-shaped nose of a rocket etc. nose-flute a musical instrument blown with the nose in Fiji etc. nose leaf a fleshy part on the nostrils of some bats, used for echo location. nose-monkey the proboscis monkey. nose-piece
1 = NOSEBAND.
2 the part of a helmet etc. protecting the nose.
3 the part of a microscope to which the object-glass is attached. nose-rag sl. a pocket handkerchief. nose-to-tail (of vehicles) moving or stationary one close behind another, esp. in heavy traffic. nose-wheel a landing-wheel under the nose of an aircraft.
on the nose
1 US sl. precisely.
2 Austral. sl. annoying. put a person's nose out of joint colloq. embarrass, disconcert, frustrate, or supplant a person. rub a person's nose in it see RUB. see no further than one's nose be short-sighted, esp. in foreseeing the consequences of one's actions etc. speak through one's nose pronounce words with a nasal twang. turn up one's nose (usu. foll. by at) colloq. show disdain. under a person's nose colloq. right before a person (esp. of defiant or unnoticed actions). with one's nose in the air haughtily.
Derivatives:
nosed adj. (also in comb.). noseless adj.
Etymology: OE nosu
Useful english dictionary. 2012.