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nose

[nohz]

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noun

the part of the face or facial region in humans and certain animals that contains the nostrils and the organs of smell and functions as the usual passageway for air in respiration: in humans it is a prominence in the center of the face formed of bone and cartilage, serving also to modify or modulate the voice.

this part as the organ of smell.

the sense of smell: fragrances appealing to the nose.

anything regarded as resembling the nose of a person or animal, as a spout or nozzle.

the prow of a ship.

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the forward end of an aircraft.

the forward edge of the head of a golf club.

a projecting part of anything: the nose of a pair of pliers.

a faculty of perceiving or detecting: to have a nose for news.

10.

the human nose regarded as a symbol of meddling or prying: Why can't he keep his nose out of my business?

11.

the length of a nose: The horse won the race by a nose.

12.

the bouquet of an alcoholic drink, especially the distinctive aroma of a wine.

COLLAPSE

verb (used with object)

13.

to perceive by or as by the nose or the sense of smell: a cheese that could be nosed at some distance.

14.

to approach the nose to, as in smelling or examining; sniff.

15.

to move or push forward with or as with the nose: The dog nosed its pup back into the yard. The boat nosed its way toward shore.

16.

to touch or rub with the nose; nuzzle.

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Nose is one of our favorite verbs.

So is subtilize. Does it mean:

to flee; abscond:

to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about.

LEARN MORE FUN, UNUSUAL VERBS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

verb (used without object)

17.

to smell or sniff.

18.

to seek as if by smelling or scent: The dogs nosed after their quarry.

19.

to move or push forward: to nose into the wind.

20.

to meddle or pry (often followed by about, into, etc.): They are always nosing about in other people's business.

Verb phrase

21.

nose out,

to defeat, especially by a narrow margin: The other candidates had been nosed out in the final returns.

to learn or discover, especially by snooping or prying: to nose out a secret.

Idioms

22.

count noses, to count the number of people in attendance: Each time the troop left an exhibit the leader counted noses.

23.

cut off one's nose to spite one's face, to create a disadvantage to oneself through one's own spiteful action.

24.

follow one's nose,

to go forward in a straight course.

to guide oneself by instinct: I found the house by following my nose.

25.

hold one's nose, to repress feelings of distaste, repulsion, or offense for something that one is obliged to do: He held his nose and voted for the bill.

26.

keep one's nose clean, to behave oneself; avoid trouble or scandal: Did he keep his nose clean after he got out of prison?

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27.

keep one's nose to the grindstone. grindstone (def. 3).

28.

lead (around) by the nose, to exercise complete control over; dominate totally: He lets his brother lead him by the nose.

29.

look down one's nose at, to regard with disdain or condescension: He had always looked down his nose at those who were poorer than he.

30.

on the nose, Informal.

precisely, correctly, or perfectly.

exactly on time: We made it at ten o'clock on the nose.

(of a bet) for win only.

Australian Informal. decayed or putrid; stinking.

Australian Informal. distasteful or unpleasant; of doubtful validity or propriety.

31.

pay through the nose, to pay an excessive price: They patronize small and exclusive shops where they cheerfully pay through the nose.

32.

put someone's nose out of joint,

to annoy or irritate greatly.

to supersede a person in another's regard, devotion, etc.

to thwart someone; spoil someone's plans.

33.

rub someone's nose in, to persecute or tease someone persistently about; nag someone about: I know I was wrong but you don't have to rub my nose in it.

34.

turn up one's nose at, to regard with contempt; scorn: My friend turns up his nose at anyone who hasn't had a college education.

35.

under someone's nose, plainly visible to; in full view of; in bold defiance of: The theft took place right under the detective's nose. Also, under someone's very nose.

COLLAPSE

Origin:
before 900; Middle English (noun); Old English nosu; akin to Dutch neus, German Nase, Latin nāsus, Sanskrit nāsā

Related forms

nose·less, adjective

nose·like, adjective

un·nosed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To nose

Example Sentences

Surgery to reshape the nose is the best known treatment for rhinophyma.

She's also increasingly paying through the nose for the privilege.

He indicated his choice by pressing one of two targets within the box, using his nose.

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Surgery to reshape the nose is the best known treatment for rhinophyma.

She's also increasingly paying through the nose for the privilege.

He indicated his choice by pressing one of two targets within the box, using his nose.

Your tongue alone can identify some flavors, but your nose helps with the rest.

Sneeze: to make a sudden violent spasmodic audible expiration of breath through the nose and mouth, especially as a reflex act.

If you're paying attention, there can be an awful lot of information encoded in a series of nose sniffs.

Her nose takes her wherever she likes, but always comes when called.

Scientists are working on an electronic nose that sniffs out nasty bacteria in blood samples.

The nose also has a certain social status, as in nose jobs or cocaine.

One consequence of the cold/sinus infection/pneumonia is a constant runny nose problem.

But he cannot stop military police rounding up people under his nose.

Its nose and forehead are human, but two pinnacles on top of its eyebrow identifies the deity as a sun god.

Wood smoke from backyard fire pits can cause health problems such as burning eyes, runny nose and bronchitis.

The animal's pink nose distinguishes it from other small, brownish bats.

For unimpeded consumption, breathe carefully through your nose while you gorge.

The language spoken by the man with the nose is still correspondingly inflated.

It was a cold day, and when she blew her nose and tossed the tissue into an automatic-flush.

Most of the bugs that give people food poisoning cannot be seen with the naked eye or detected by the nose or taste buds.

Slowly, the wonder ship's nose dipped into the water.

And results are similarly inaccurate with the famous finger to nose test, or even when a person stands on one leg.

Our revised view of the dynamics was that blocking air from the elevator is what caused the nose to drop.

Braid the remaining loose ends together and twist them tightly with needle nose pliers.

He was a tall, gray-haired man with a pleasant face, but all you really saw was his nose.

The businessman's head is a bleach bottle, upside down, with wine-cork eyes and spectacles perched on a pointy nose.

They have to pay through the nose for health care and for decent education for their children.

The size of the broad bridge of the nose between the eyes is the same.

His broad face, with its flat nose and tiny eyes, was recognized everywhere.

Not only does it cause your subject to squint, but it also creates dark shadows under the nose and chin.

Most people know the right way to stop a nosebleed: lean the head back and apply pressure to the nose.

Not if the face you're looking at has a hairy wart on the tip of its nose.

Initially, the lightning will attach to an extremity such as the nose or wing tip.

Multiple attempts were made and each time the kite would spiral erratically and then nose dive.

People have described orgasms through imagery, nose orgasms, knee orgasms.

Septoplasty is surgery to correct any problems in the nasal septum, the wall inside the nose that separates the nostrils.

Like a well-aged wine, ice-age excrement gives off a smooth scent that is not unpleasant to the nose.

He dips his nose into a cup containing food and munches contentedly, nose twitching.

Bitter hops explode from it, perfuming your mouth and nose in little aromatic puffs.

With a short rocket, you need a lot of nose weight to shift the balance point forward.

He is wicked smart, a lucid writer, and has a good nose for interesting topics.

In that case, a baby girl was born seven weeks early with no nose and only one eye in the center of her face.

Imagine knowing you'll be too sick to go to work, before the faintest hint of a runny nose or a sore throat.

But, you'll be cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Even before they've hatched, red-eyed tree frogs have a nose for danger.

At high speed, the nose deflects water away from the surfaces of the vessel.

Part of the problem was a blunt, bullet-shaped nose which pushed air in front of it rather than slicing through.

I've put off my own nose job for years, maybe because it took me so long to believe that my nose was a problem.

When it comes to contraband seizures, the nose of a dog never fails.

When the human nose sniffs, odors travels up the nostrils and into the brain.

Every sweetly scented lily comes with its own set of paintbrushes-those bright anthers that dab your nose and your.

When exposed to two different odors, the nose doesn't blend, but instead alternates between the two scents.

The other two have it on the nose but make sure the editor knows what you changed.

Not so long ago, much of society disapproved of those who had a breast enlargement or nose job.

People with sharper senses of smell really have a nose for relating to others' emotions, new research suggests.

Punching a shark in the nose is not considered a good way to fight it off.

My pharmacist says that's normal due to using a nasal spray, as the nose contains pretty delicate veins.

His turned-up nose once annoyed him so much that for a while he slept with a peg on.

But the giant elephant shrew's nose is long enough to sniff out some juicy insects for its next meal.

Follow your nose through a clever series of small gardens that lead delightfully from one to the next.

Some people argue blowing your nose reverses the flow of mucus into the sinuses and slows drainage.

Some anti-bacterial gel to clean your hands after wiping your nose.

These days he has a political vision-and a business nose to match.

Apply a dot of orange dimensional fabric paint to the center of the face for the nose.

The skull was even stranger: short and tall with the nose further back than would be expected.

The long-time nose tackle, who switched to defensive.

The best painter in the world, as he was often said to be, seemed intent on rubbing the world's nose in human ugliness.

He pushes his nose under their hands to make them pet him.

So the shorter the rocket tube, the heavier the nose needs to.

They are both wearing masks: hers has cavernous eyeholes and a protuberant nose, while his has a long, sad nose.

Paint on a brown nose and whiskers and practice your roar.

And if that's not disturbing enough for ya, the leech with teeth was actually discovered up some dude's nose.

Only a few copies were in circulation and you had to pay through the nose if you wanted to own one.

Understanding how a few hundred receptors in the nose can decode millions of different odours is leading to.

Brachiosaurus has a big bump on its head which is really its nose.

Fleming one day hung his nose over a petri dish so to allow his mucus to drip on to the plate.

He obviously couldn't breathe because he had no nose or mouth to take in air.

They pay through the nose for a hotel package which includes a performance.

Another wolf sinks its teeth into the moose's bulbous nose.

Nor does it explain the lush aroma that hits your nose as you sip.

Diving the nose down and then pulling it up, he really revved the engines.

He also modified the nose and moved the mirrors inside the doors.

One of mine missed three days last year and returned with a broken nose.

Unlike his rivals, he has some charisma and a nose for the popular mood.

They also have a greater convergence of neurons from the nose to the brain than humans.

The wheels dug in, and the plane tipped onto its nose.

Unless they have an unfortunate compulsive nose picking habit or the like.

Three-foot-long upright plant and grub eater with a soft, doglike nose pointing forward.

Imagine you stick a pencil straight into the bridge of your nose between your eyes.

My hair lip goes right up through the bulb of my nose.

It has taken me some time to learn to tolerate nose rings and other piercings.

Frog toxins engage the nose and make them thoroughly unappetizing to humans, and presumably predators as well.

Ice builds up in flight on the frontal surfaces: leading edge of the wings, the nose and the tail surfaces.

My dark chocolate skin and my bold jaw line complimented my broad nose and my full lips.

Lots of looking down through the nose at community college faculty.

Those that do manage to issue bonds are paying through the nose for the privilege.

So they had to cut a hole in the ceiling to get the rocket's nose to fit.

Hard to miss the round head, big ears, and pointy nose.

She has full lips, long lashes, and a slightly upturned nose.

His suits were well-tailored, his hair marcelled, his nose shaped by plastic surgery.

In general, a lion's nose starts out pink and darkens as it gets older.

The high-speed testing is done at maximum continuous power with the nose of the airplane pointed downhill.

Foreign investors may have a better nose for boardroom shenanigans and a strong incentive to protect minority shareholders.

The new wing's main element is a monolithic box with an aerodynamic nose along its leading edge.

But their weight, combined with hard plastic nose pieces, gives them a tendency to slide down your face during shakier pursuits.

They can also enter your body when you touch your nose or mouth with dirty hands.

Being condemned to a lifetime of harsh antipsychotic drugs seems a far cry from a runny nose and fever.

Get your nose right up to the surface of the cup, take a spoon, and push it down through the cap to break it up.

The fat levels of the subjects who tasted while wearing nose plugs rose a similar amount.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

nose (nəʊz)

—n
1.	the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract, consisting of a prominent structure divided into two hair-lined air passages by a median septumRelated: nasal, rhinal
2.	the sense of smell itself: in hounds and other animals, the ability to follow trails by scent (esp in the phrases a good nose, a bad nose)
3.	another word for bouquet
4.	instinctive skill or facility, esp in discovering things (sometimes in the phrase follow one's nose): he had a nose for good news stories
5.	any part regarded as resembling a nose in form or function, such as a nozzle or spout
6.	the forward part of a vehicle, aircraft, etc, esp the front end of an aircraft
7.	narrow margin of victory (in the phrase (win) by a nose)
8.	cut off one's nose to spite one's face to carry out a vengeful action that hurts oneself more than another
9.	informal get up someone's nose to annoy or irritate someone
10.	keep one's nose clean to stay out of trouble; behave properly
11.	keep one's nose to the grindstone to work hard and continuously
12.	lead someone by the nose to make someone do unquestioningly all one wishes; dominate someone
13.	informal look down one's nose at to be contemptuous or disdainful of
14.	nose to tail (of vehicles) moving or standing very close behind one another
15.	slang on the nose
	a. (in horse-race betting) to win only: I bet twenty pounds on the nose on that horse
	b. chiefly (US), (Canadian) precisely; exactly
	c. (Austral) bad or bad-smelling
16.	informal pay through the nose to pay an exorbitant price
17.	informal poke one's nose into, stick one's nose into to pry into or interfere in
18.	informal put someone's nose out of joint to thwart or offend someone, esp by supplanting him or gaining something he regards as his
19.	informal rub someone's nose in it to remind someone unkindly of his failing or error
20.	informal see no further than one's nose, see no further than the end of one's nose
	a. to be short-sighted; suffer from myopia
	b. to lack insight or foresight
21.	informal turn up one's nose, turn up one's nose at something to behave disdainfully towards (something)
22.	under one's nose
	a. directly in front of one
	b. without one noticing
23.	with one's nose in the air haughtily

—vb
24.	(tr) (esp of horses, dogs, etc) to rub, touch, or sniff with the nose; nuzzle
25.	to smell or sniff (wine, etc)
26.	(intr; usually foll by after or for) to search (for) by or as if by scent
27.	to move or cause to move forwards slowly and carefully: the car nosed along the cliff top; we nosed the car into the garage
28.	(intr; foll by into, around, about, etc) to pry or snoop (into) or meddle (in)

Related: nasal, rhinal

[Old English nosu; related to Old Frisian nose, Norwegian nosa to smell and nus smell]

'noseless

—*adj*

'noselike

—*adj*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

nose

O.E. nosu, from P.Gmc. *nusus (cf. O.N. nös, O.Fris. nose, Du. neus, O.H.G. nasa, Ger. nase), from PIE *nas- (cf. Skt. nasa, O.Pers. naham, O.C.S. nasu, Lith. nosis, L. nasus "nose"). Used to indicate "something obvious" from 1591. The verb sense of "pry, search" first recorded 1648, from the noun.

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Pay through the nose (1672) seems to suggest "bleed."

"Kiv, It could bee no other then his owne manne, that had thrust his nose so farre out of ioynte." ["Barnabe Riche His Farewell to Military Profession," 1581]

Many extended senses are from the horse-racing sense of "length of a horse's nose," as a measure of distance between two finishers (1908). Nose-bleed first attested 1848. Nose cone in the space rocket sense is from 1949. Nose job "rhinoplasty" is from 1963; nose dive "sudden large decrease" is 1920, from airplane sense, first attested 1912. To turn up one's nose "show disdain" is from 1818 (earlier hold up one's nose, 1579); similar notion in look down one's nose (1921).

COLLAPSE

American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

nose (nōz)
n.
The part of the human face or the forward part of the head of other vertebrates that contains the nostrils and organs of smell and forms the beginning of the respiratory tract.

Slang Dictionary

nose (candy) definition

n.
powdered drugs that are inhaled, primarily cocaine, sometimes heroin. (Drugs. See also needle candy.) : Bart has some nose candy for sale.

Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

nose

In addition to the idioms beginning with nose, also see brown nose; can't see beyond the end of one's nose; count noses; cut off one's nose; follow one's nose; keep one's nose clean; lead by the nose; look down on (one's nose); no skin off my nose; on the nose; pay through the nose; plain as day (the nose on your face); poke one's nose into; rub someone's nose in it; thumb one's nose; turn up one's nose; under one's nose; win by a nose.