Definition of 'nose'
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present
tense noses
, present participle nosing
, past tense, past participle nosed
1. countable noun [oft poss NOUN]
2. countable noun [oft poss NOUN]
4. singular noun [usu by a N]
5. verb
If a vehicle noses in a certain direction or if you nose it there, you move it slowly and carefully in that direction.
6. See also hard-nosed, toffee-nosed
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
See get up sb's nose
13.
14.
15.
17.
See nose to tail
18.
19.
20.
See under sb's nose
Phrasal verbs:
See nose around
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
nose
Word Frequency
nose in British English
noun
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 adjectives: nasal, rhinal2.
3. another word for bouquet (sense 2)
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
10. See get up someone's nose
11. See keep one's nose clean
13. See lead someone by the nose
15. See nose to tail
16. See on the nose
17. See pay through the nose
18. See poke one's nose into
19. See put someone's nose out of joint
20. See rub someone's nose in it
21. See see no further than one's nose
22. See turn up one's nose
23. See under one's nose
24. See with one's nose in the air
verb
26.
to smell or sniff ( wine, etc)
28.
to move or cause to move forwards slowly and carefully
the car nosed along the cliff top
we nosed the car into the garage
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
noseless (ˈnoseless) adjective
noselike (ˈnoseˌlike)
adjective
Word origin
Old English nosu; related to Old Frisian nose, Norwegian nosa to smell and nus smell
Word Frequency
nose in American English
noun
1.
2.
3.
the sense of smell
6.
verb transitiveWord forms: nosed or ˈnosing
9.
to discover or perceive by or as if by the sense of smell
10.
to touch or rub with the nose
12.
to make or push (a way, etc.) cautiously or slowly with the front forward
the ship nosed its way into the harbor
verb intransitive
13.
to smell; sniff
14.
to pry inquisitively
15.
to move cautiously or slowly with the front end forward
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME < OE nosu, akin to Ger nase, orig. a dual, meaning “the two nostrils” < IE base *nas-, nostril > Sans nāsā, the nose, lit., pair of nostrils, L nasus, nose & naris (pl. nares), nostril
Examples of 'nose' in a sentence
nose
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Quotations
Give me a man with a good allowance of nose
Word lists with
nose
parts of an aircraft, parts of an aircraftQuick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
Which part of an aircraft am I?
a device fitted to the surface of an aircraft to provide air pressure or ventilation from the airflow
Which part of an aircraft am I?
a vertical surface to which the rudder is attached, usually placed at the rear of an aeroplane to give stability about the vertical axis
Which part of an aircraft am I?
the instrument panel in a car, boat, or aircraft
Which part of an aircraft am I?
a gas turbine, esp one fitted to an aircraft
Which part of an aircraft am I?
any upright wall-like partition in a ship, aircraft, vehicle, etc
Your score:
More idioms containing
nose
Trends of
nose
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In other languages
nose
British English: nose
/nəʊz/ NOUN
Your nose is the part of your face which sticks out above your mouth. You use it for smelling and breathing.
She wiped her nose with a tissue.
- American English: nose /ˈnoʊz/
- Arabic: أَنْفٌ
- Brazilian Portuguese: nariz
- Chinese: 鼻
- Croatian: nos
- Czech: nos
- Danish: næse
- Dutch: neus
- European Spanish: nariz
- Finnish: nenä
- French: nez
- German: Nase
- Greek: μύτη
- Italian: naso
- Japanese: 鼻
- Korean: 코
- Norwegian: nese
- Polish: nos
- European Portuguese: nariz
- Romanian: nas
- Russian: нос
- Latin American Spanish: nariz
- Swedish: näsa
- Thai: จมูก
- Turkish: burun
- Ukrainian: ніс
- Vietnamese: mũi
British English: nose
VERB /nəʊz/
If a vehicle noses in a certain direction or if you nose it there, you move it slowly and carefully in that direction.
He could not see the driver as the car nosed forward.
Browse alphabetically
nose
Source
Definition of nose from the Collins English Dictionary
Quick word challenge
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die or dye?
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pail or pale?
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retch or wretch?
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retch
wretch
The smell made me .
sole or soul?
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sole
soul
Their aim is to provide for their families.
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