nəuz n. & v. --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). øas 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. øønosed adj. (also in comb.). noseless adj. [OE nosu]