noun
nose
nohz
noun
1
The part of the face that contains the nostrils and is used for breathing and smelling.
"He rubbed his nose after bumping into the door."
"Her nose was cold from standing out in the snow."
2
The projecting front or tip of an object, such as an aircraft or vehicle.
"The nose of the plane lifted as it took off."
3
A person's sense of smell, or the ability to detect or judge something, especially wine or a story worth investigating.
"The critic has a great nose for a good Bordeaux."
"The journalist has a nose for a scandal."
verb
1
To move slowly and carefully forward, front end first.
"The car nosed its way out of the tight parking spot."
2
To pry or snoop into something, often as "nose around" or "nose into."
"Stop nosing into my personal messages."
How to Use Nose
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe body part you breathe and smell with, and by extension anything that pokes forward or the instinct to pry.
Common mistake
As a verb meaning "to pry," it's usually followed by "around" or "into" — "nose into someone's business," not just "nose someone's business."
Common pairings
nose around
nose for news
blow your nose
nose dive
Word Forms
nosed past tense, noses plural, noses singular
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Etymology
From Old English nosu, going back to a very old Indo-European root for "nose" or "nostril" shared with Latin nāsus and German Nase.