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.
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.
the human nose regarded as a symbol of meddling or prying: Why can't he keep his nose out of my business?
the length of a nose: The horse won the race by a nose.
the bouquet of an alcoholic drink, especially the distinctive aroma of a wine.
verb (used with object),nosed,nos·ing.
to perceive by or as by the nose or the sense of smell: a cheese that could be nosed at some distance.
to approach the nose to, as in smelling or examining; sniff.
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.
to touch or rub with the nose; nuzzle.
verb (used without object),nosed,nos·ing.
to smell or sniff.
to seek as if by smelling or scent: The dogs nosed after their quarry.
to move or push forward: to nose into the wind.
to meddle or pry (often followed by about, into, etc.): They are always nosing about in other people's business.
Verb Phrases
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 for nose
count noses, to count the number of people in attendance: Each time the troop left an exhibit the leader counted noses.
cut off one's nose to spite one's face, to create a disadvantage to oneself through one's own spiteful action.
follow one's nose,
to go forward in a straight course.
to guide oneself by instinct: I found the house by following my nose.
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.
keep one's nose clean, to behave oneself; avoid trouble or scandal: Did he keep his nose clean after he got out of prison?
keep one's nose to the grindstone. grindstone (def. 3).
lead (around) by the nose, to exercise complete control over; dominate totally: He lets his brother lead him by the nose.
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.
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.
AustralianInformal.decayed or putrid; stinking.
AustralianInformal.distasteful or unpleasant; of doubtful validity or propriety.
pay through the nose, to pay an excessive price: They patronize small and exclusive shops where they cheerfully pay through the nose.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Origin of nose
before 900; Middle English (noun); Old English nosu; akin to Dutch neus,German Nase,Latin nāsus,Sanskrit nāsā
So the virus may have spread when the rodents groomed, rubbed their noses or moved around.
Dust can infect animals with flu, raising coronavirus concerns|Erin Garcia de Jesus|August 24, 2020|Science News For Students
Like the regions in the brain, each stage seeks different types of general pictorial elements like those the brain finds, rather than seeking the eyes, nose, and so on.
The Bias in the Machine - Issue 89: The Dark Side|Sidney Perkowitz|August 19, 2020|Nautilus
The main stumbling block is that we’re still not quite sure how individual smells activate the entire neural highway from nose to brain.
A Highway to Smell: How Scientists Used Light to Incept Smell in Mice|Shelly Fan|July 1, 2020|Singularity Hub
So he convinced his supervisors to let him bring home some equipment so he could evaluate whether cloth masks cut down on the number of potentially virus-laden particles that spew from people’s mouths and noses when they talk, cough or breathe.
Why scientists say wearing masks shouldn’t be controversial|Tina Hesman Saey|June 26, 2020|Science News
There, clusters of nerve endings called glomeruli organize the smell signals picked up in the nose.
How to make a mouse smell a smell that doesn’t actually exist|Laura Sanders|June 18, 2020|Science News
I will turn my nose up when you offer me the rest of some delicious pastry that you nibbled on.
Why My Norovirus Panic Makes Me Sick|Lizzie Crocker|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They should have pointed the nose of the Airbus down and applied more power.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?|Clive Irving|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
A spandex mask stretched over his face, covering his eyes and nose.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau|Ian Frisch|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Also, your nose is in front of your face and the sun will come up tomorrow.
The Gun Battle Since Newtown|Cliff Schecter|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
With a nose for bogus facts, Johnson sets out to break the Internet by breaking news.
On Torture, Chuck Johnson & Sondheim|James Poulos|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her nose is as flat as a pancake and she rouges something fierce.
The Gorgeous Girl|Nalbro Bartley
He laughed like a schoolboy in anticipation of a prank, and held his scented handkerchief to his nose.
El Dorado|Baroness Orczy
"I'd get thrown out on my bean if I ever stuck my nose in the kitchen door," Murk said.
The Brand of Silence|Harrington Strong
Hounds like Bluey and Brutus run by sight alone; they have no nose, and the moment they cannot see their game they are lost.
The Ranche on the Oxhide|Henry Inman
Mr Brass slyly tickles his nose with his pen, and looks at Kit with the water standing in his eyes.
The Old Curiosity Shop|Charles Dickens
British Dictionary definitions for nose
nose
/ (nəʊz) /
noun
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 adjectives: nasal, rhinal
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)
another word for bouquet (def. 2)
instinctive skill or facility, esp in discovering things (sometimes in the phrase follow one's nose)he had a nose for good news stories
any part regarded as resembling a nose in form or function, such as a nozzle or spout
the forward part of a vehicle, aircraft, etc, esp the front end of an aircraft
narrow margin of victory (in the phrase (win) by a nose)
cut off one's nose to spite one's faceto carry out a vengeful action that hurts oneself more than another
get up someone's noseinformalto annoy or irritate someone
keep one's nose cleanto stay out of trouble; behave properly
keep one's nose to the grindstoneto work hard and continuously
lead someone by the noseto make someone do unquestioningly all one wishes; dominate someone
look down one's nose atinformalto be contemptuous or disdainful of
nose to tail(of vehicles) moving or standing very close behind one another
on the noseslang
(in horse-race betting) to win onlyI bet twenty pounds on the nose on that horse
mainlyUS and Canadianprecisely; exactly
Australianbad or bad-smelling
pay through the noseinformalto pay an exorbitant price
poke one's nose intoorstick one's nose intoinformalto pry into or interfere in
put someone's nose out of jointinformalto thwart or offend someone, esp by supplanting him or gaining something he regards as his
rub someone's nose in itinformalto remind someone unkindly of his failing or error
see no further than one's noseorsee no further than the end of one's noseinformal
to be short-sighted; suffer from myopia
to lack insight or foresight
turn up one's noseorturn up one's nose at somethinginformalto behave disdainfully towards (something)
under one's nose
directly in front of one
without one noticing
with one's nose in the airhaughtily
verb
(tr)(esp of horses, dogs, etc) to rub, touch, or sniff with the nose; nuzzle
to smell or sniff (wine, etc)
(intr; usually foll by after or for)to search (for) by or as if by scent
to move or cause to move forwards slowly and carefullythe car nosed along the cliff top; we nosed the car into the garage
(intr; foll by into, around, about, etc)to pry or snoop (into) or meddle (in)
See also nose out
Derived forms of nose
noseless, adjectivenoselike, adjective
Word Origin for nose
Old English nosu; related to Old Frisian nose, Norwegian nosa to smell and nus smell
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.