nose

nose / nōz/ • n. 1. the part projecting above the mouth on the face of a person or animal, containing the nostrils and used for breathing and smelling. ∎  [in sing.] the sense of smell, esp. a dog's ability to track something by its scent: a dog with a keen nose. ∎  [in sing.] fig. an instinctive talent for detecting something: he has a nose for a good script. ∎  the aroma of a particular substance, esp. wine. 2. the front end of an aircraft, car, or other vehicle. ∎  a projecting part of something: the nose of the saddle. 3. [in sing.] a look, esp. out of curiosity: she wanted a good nose around the house. ∎ inf. a police informer. • v. 1. [intr.] (of an animal) thrust its nose against or into something, esp. in order to smell it: the pony nosed at the straw. ∎  [tr.] smell or sniff (something). 2. [intr.] investigate or pry into something: I was anxious to get inside and nose around her house | she's always nosing into my business. ∎  [tr.] detect in such a way. 3. [intr.] (of a vehicle or its driver) make one's way cautiously forward: he turned left and nosed into an empty parking space. ∎  (of a competitor) manage to achieve a winning or leading position, esp. by a small margin: they nosed ahead by one point. PHRASES: by a nose (of a victory) by a very narrow margin. count noses count people, typically in order to determine the numbers in a vote. cut off one's nose to spite one's face hurt oneself in the course of trying to hurt another. give someone a bloody nose inflict a resounding defeat on someone. have one's nose in a book be reading studiously or intently. keep one's nose clean inf. stay out of trouble. keep one's nose out of refrain from interfering in (someone else's affairs). keep one's nose to the grindstone see grindstone. nose to tail (of vehicles) moving or standing close behind one another, esp. in heavy traffic. not see further than one's (or the end of one's) nose be unwilling or fail to consider different possibilities or to foresee the consequences of one's actions. on the nose 1. to a person's sense of smell: the wine is pungently smoky and peppery on the nose. 2. inf. precisely: at ten on the nose the van pulled up. 3. inf. (of betting) on a horse to win (as opposed to being placed). put someone's nose out of joint inf. upset or annoy someone. speak through one's nose pronounce words with a nasal twang. turn one's nose up at something inf. show distaste or contempt for something: he turned his nose up at the job. under someone's nose inf. directly in front of someone: he thrust the paper under the inspector's nose. ∎  (of an action) committed openly and boldly, but without someone noticing or noticing in time to prevent it. with one's nose in the air haughtily: she walked past the cars with her nose in the air.DERIVATIVES: nosed adj. [in comb.] snub-nosed. nose·less adj. ORIGIN: Old English nosu; related to Dutch neus, and more remotely to German Nase, Latin nasus, and Sanskrit nāsā; also to ness.