nose

nose · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    The part of the face containing the nostrils and used for breathing and smelling.

  2. 2.

    The front or projecting part of something.

  3. 3.

    An instinctive talent for detecting something.

Forms

plural: noses

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    on the nose — exactly; precisely
  • •
    under someone's nose — directly in front of someone without being noticed
  • •
    poke one's nose into — to interfere in someone else's affairs
  • •
    follow one's nose — to go straight ahead; to trust one's instincts
  • •
    turn up one's nose — to reject something with contempt
  • •
    pay through the nose — to pay an excessive amount

Related words

See also: face, nostril, smell, sniff
Synonyms: beak, proboscis, snout

Etymology

From Old English nosu, from Proto-Germanic nusō, from Proto-Indo-European nas- ("nose").