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a nose for sth


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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
nose /noʊz/USA pronunciation   n., v., nosed, nos•ing. 
n. [countable]
  1. Anatomythe part of the face above the mouth that contains the nostrils and organs of smell and through which a person breathes.
  2. the sense of smell:Certain breeds of dog have a good nose.
  3. anything that resembles a nose:the nose of a plane.
  4. an ability to understand, interpret, find out about (something):had a nose for a good story.
  5. the human nose as a symbol of interfering or prying:Keep your nose out of my business!

v. 
  1. to move or push forward with or as if with the nose: [~ + object]The boat nosed its way toward shore.[no object]The plane nosed forward cautiously.
  2. to meddle or pry:[~ + about/around]nosing around asking questions.
  3. nose out, to defeat, esp. by a narrow margin: [~ + out + object]She nosed out her opponent in the election.[~ + object + out]She nosed him out in the election.
Idioms
  1. follow one's nose:
    • Idiomsto go forward in a straight course:Just follow your nose and you'll see the church straight ahead.
    • Idiomsto guide oneself by instinct:He followed his nose on negotiating that deal.
  2. Idioms keep one's nose clean, to behave properly;
    avoid trouble.
  3. Idioms lead (around) by the nose, [lead + object + (around) by the nose] to control (someone);
    dominate.
  4. Idioms look down one's nose at, [~ + object] to consider (someone or something) as inferior or less acceptable.
  5. Informal Terms on the nose:
    • Idioms precisely;
      exactly:We arrived at 3 o'clock on the nose.       
  6. Idioms put or keep one's nose to the grindstone, to work intensely and persistently at a task.
  7. put someone's nose out of joint:
    • Idiomsto annoy;
      irritate.
  8. Idioms turn up one's nose at, [~ + object] to reject (something) contemptuously:turned up his nose at the pitiful offer.
  9. Idioms under someone's nose, plainly visible;
    in full view:It was right under my nose all the time.


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
nose  (nōz),USA pronunciation n., v., nosed, nos•ing. 
n. 
  1. Anatomythe 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.
  2. Anatomythis part as the organ of smell.
  3. the sense of smell:fragrances appealing to the nose.
  4. anything regarded as resembling the nose of a person or animal, as a spout or nozzle.
  5. Naval Terms, Nauticalthe prow of a ship.
  6. Aeronauticsthe forward end of an aircraft.
  7. Sportthe forward edge of the head of a golf club.
  8. a projecting part of anything:the nose of a pair of pliers.
  9. a faculty of perceiving or detecting:to have a nose for news.
  10. the human nose regarded as a symbol of meddling or prying:Why can't he keep his nose out of my business?
  11. Sportthe length of a nose:The horse won the race by a nose.
  12. Winethe bouquet of an alcoholic drink, esp. the distinctive aroma of a wine.
  13. Idioms count noses, to count the number of people in attendance:Each time the troop left an exhibit the leader counted noses.
  14. Idioms cut off one's nose to spite one's face, to create a disadvantage to oneself through one's own spiteful action.
  15. follow one's nose:
    • Idiomsto go forward in a straight course.
    • Idiomsto guide oneself by instinct:I found the house by following my nose.
  16. Idioms 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.
  17. Idioms keep one's nose clean, to behave oneself;
    avoid trouble or scandal:Did he keep his nose clean after he got out of prison?
  18. Idioms keep one's nose to the grindstone. See grindstone (def. 3).
  19. Idioms lead or lead around by the nose, to exercise complete control over;
    dominate totally:He lets his brother lead him by the nose.
  20. Idioms 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.
  21. Informal Terms on the nose:
    • Idiomsprecisely, correctly, or perfectly.
    • Idiomsexactly on time:We made it at ten o'clock on the nose.
    • , Idioms, British Terms(of a bet) for win only.
    • , Idioms, British Terms[Australian Informal.]decayed or putrid;
      stinking.
    • , Idioms, British Terms[Australian Informal.]distasteful or unpleasant;
      of doubtful validity or propriety.
  22. Idioms pay through the nose, to pay an excessive price:They patronize small and exclusive shops where they cheerfully pay through the nose.
  23. put someone's nose out of joint:
    • Idiomsto annoy or irritate greatly.
    • Idiomsto supersede a person in another's regard, devotion, etc.
    • Idiomsto thwart someone;
      spoil someone's plans.
  24. Idioms 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.
  25. Idioms 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.
  26. Idioms 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. 

v.t. 
  1. to perceive by or as by the nose or the sense of smell:a cheese that could be nosed at some distance.
  2. to approach the nose to, as in smelling or examining;
    sniff.
  3. 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.
  4. to touch or rub with the nose;
    nuzzle.

v.i. 
  1. to smell or sniff.
  2. to seek as if by smelling or scent:The dogs nosed after their quarry.
  3. to move or push forward:to nose into the wind.
  4. to meddle or pry (often fol. by about, into, etc.):They are always nosing about in other people's business.
  5. nose out:
    • Idiomsto defeat, esp. by a narrow margin:The other candidates had been nosed out in the final returns.
    • Idiomsto learn or discover, esp. by snooping or prying:to nose out a secret.
  • bef. 900; Middle English (noun, nominal); Old English nosu; akin to Dutch neus, German Nase, Latin nāsus, Sanskrit nāsā
nose′less, adj. 
nose′like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
nose / nəʊz/
  1. 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 septum
    Related adjective(s): nasal
  2. 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)
  3. another word for bouquet2
  4. instinctive skill or facility, esp in discovering things (sometimes in the phrase follow one's nose): she had a nose for good news stories
  5. Also called: noser a person employed by a distillery or other alcohol-producing industry to test the quality of the product by smell
  6. any part regarded as resembling a nose in form or function, such as a nozzle or spout
  7. the forward part of a vehicle, aircraft, etc, esp the front end of an aircraft
  8. narrow margin of victory (in the phrase (win) by a nose)
  9. cut off one's nose to spite one's face ⇒ to carry out a vengeful action that hurts oneself more than another
  10. get up someone's nose ⇒ to annoy or irritate someone
  11. keep one's nose clean ⇒ to stay out of trouble; behave properly
  12. lead someone by the nose ⇒ to make someone do unquestioningly all one wishes; dominate someone
  13. look down one's nose at ⇒ to be contemptuous or disdainful of
  14. nose to tail ⇒ (of vehicles) moving or standing very close behind one another
  15. on the nose ⇒ (in horse-race betting) to win only: I bet twenty pounds on the nose on that horse
  16. precisely; exactly
  17. bad or bad-smelling
  18. pay through the nose ⇒ to pay an exorbitant price
  19. put someone's nose out of joint ⇒ to thwart or offend someone, esp by supplanting him or her
  20. rub someone's nose in it ⇒ to remind someone unkindly of his or her failing or error
  21. turn up one's nose, turn up one's nose at something ⇒ to behave disdainfully towards (something)
  22. with one's nose in the air ⇒ haughtily
  1. (transitive) (esp of horses, dogs, etc) to rub, touch, or sniff with the nose; nuzzle
  2. to smell or sniff (wine, etc)
  3. (intr; usually followed by after or for) to search (for) by or as if by scent
  4. to move or cause to move forwards slowly and carefully: the car nosed along the cliff top, we nosed the car into the garage
  5. (intr; followed by into, around, about, etc) to pry or snoop (into) or meddle (in)
Etymology: Old English nosu; related to Old Frisian nose, Norwegian nosa to smell and nus smellˈnoselessˈnoseˌlike
Collocations: has a nose for [money, trouble, fun], has a nose for a [deal, bargain, good story], with a nose for [money, a deal], more...

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