Nose Definition

nōz
nosed, noses, nosing
noun
noses
The part of the human face between the mouth and the eyes, having two openings and cavities behind them for breathing and smelling.
Webster's New World
The part that corresponds to this in animals; snout, muzzle, etc.
Webster's New World
The sense of smell.
Webster's New World
The ability to detect, sense, or discover as if by smell.
Has a nose for gossip.
American Heritage
The overall smell of a wine; bouquet.
Webster's New World
verb
nosed, noses, nosing
To discover or perceive by or as if by the sense of smell.
Webster's New World
To touch or rub with the nose.
Webster's New World
To smell; sniff.
Webster's New World
To push with the nose.
Webster's New World
To move cautiously or slowly with the front end forward.
Webster's New World
idiom
down (one's) nose
  • With disapproval, contempt, or arrogance:

    Year-round residents here look down their noses at the summer people.

American Heritage
on the nose
  • Exactly; precisely:

    predicted the final score on the nose.

American Heritage
under (someone's) nose
  • In plain view:

    The keys are right under your nose.

American Heritage
by a nose
  • by the length of the animal's nose in horse racing, etc.
  • by a very small margin
Webster's New World
count noses
  • to count the number of people present, voting, etc.
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Nose

Noun

Singular:
nose
Plural:
noses

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Nose

Origin of Nose

  • From Middle English nose, from Old English nosu, from Proto-Germanic *nusō (compare West Frisian noas, Dutch neus, Norwegian nos "˜snout'), variant of *nasō (compare German Low German Nees, Nes, Näs, German Nase, Norwegian nese "˜nose'), old dual from Proto-Indo-European *néhâ‚‚s- ~ *nhâ‚‚es- "˜nose, nostril' (compare Latin nāris "˜nostril', nāsus "˜nose', Lithuanian nósis, Russian нос (nos), Sanskrit नासा (nā́sā) "˜nostrils').

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Old English nosu nas- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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