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| nose [ nōz ] |
noun (plural nos·es) |
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| Definition: |
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1. organ of smell: the part of the face or head through which a person or animal breathes and smells
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2. sense of smell: the sense of smell, especially the ability to recognize things by smell or to follow a scent
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3. talent for discovery: an intuitive ability to discover, detect, or recognize something
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4. part resembling nose: a part that resembles the nose of a person or animal in appearance or function
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5. projecting front part of vehicle: the pointed or rounded front end of an aircraft, spacecraft, boat, car, or other vehicle
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6. distinctive smell: the characteristic aroma of something such as wine or tobacco
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verb (past and past participle nosed, present participle nos·ing, 3rd person present singular nos·es) |
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| Definition: |
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1. intransitive verb search for by scent: to try to find something by smelling or sniffing
  nosed out my secret hoard of chocolate
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2. transitive and intransitive verb advance with caution: to move forward slowly, carefully, or cautiously, or make something move in this way
nosed into the stream of traffic
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3. transitive verb touch something with nose: to touch, rub, or push somebody or something with the nose
(
refers to animals
)
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4. transitive verb smell something: to smell or sniff something
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5. intransitive verb pry or snoop: to try to make discoveries by searching or asking questions in an inquisitive, impertinent, or intrusive manner
(
informal
)
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| [ Old English nosu< Indo-European] |
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as plain as the nose on your face very obvious (informal)
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follow your nose
1. to go or continue straight ahead in the direction you are facing
2. to act in accordance with your instincts or intuition
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get up somebody's nose U.K. to irritate or annoy somebody (informal)
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keep your nose clean to avoid getting into trouble (informal)
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keep or put your nose to the grindstone to keep working hard without taking a break
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look down your nose at somebody or something to regard somebody or something arrogantly or disdainfully as inferior or not worth your attention
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nose to tail so close together that the front of one vehicle almost touches the rear end of another
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on the nose
1. absolutely on target, with total accuracy, or completely correctly (informal)
at 10 o'clock on the nose
2. in betting on horseraces, for a horse to win only, not to be placed second or third (slang)
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put somebody's nose out of joint to make somebody feel thwarted or offended because you do, obtain, or achieve something that he or she was intending or hoping for
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thumb your nose at somebody or something to express defiance or contempt of somebody or something, especially by putting a thumb to the nose and extending the fingers
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turn up your nose at something to refuse to accept something because you feel it is inferior or unworthy of you (informal)
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under somebody's nose in full view of or very close to somebody
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