nose
nose
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "nose" is /noʊz/.
/noʊ/ - The sound of "no" as in "know."
/z/ - The "z" sound as in "zoo."
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: nose
Plural Noun: noses
Present Tense Verb (third person singular): noses
Present Participle Verb: nosing
Past Tense Verb: nosed
Past Participle Verb: nosed
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: The prominent organ on the face of humans and many animals, located above the mouth, used for breathing and smelling.
Synonyms: proboscis, snout, muzzle, olfactor
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for a body part)
Definition 2: The front or forward-most part of something, especially one that projects or is elongated.
Synonyms: prow, fore, front, tip, leading edge
Antonyms: rear, back, stern, tail
Definition 3: An ability to detect or discover something, often intuitively or by a keen sense of smell (figurative).
Synonyms: scent, knack, faculty, intuition, discernment
Antonyms: obtuseness, ignorance, blindness
Verb
Definition 1: To push or move forward slowly and carefully, especially with the front part.
Example: "The car nosed its way through the narrow alley."
Synonyms: inch, nudge, edge, ease
Antonyms: retreat, pull back, withdraw
Definition 2: To search for or discover something by smelling or as if by smelling (often with "out").
Example: "The dog nosed out the hidden treat."
Synonyms: sniff, detect, unearth, uncover, ferret out
Antonyms: overlook, miss, ignore
Definition 3: To touch or rub with the nose.
Example: "The calf nosed its mother's flank."
Synonyms: nudge, rub, prod
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms)
Examples of Use
Books:
"He had a long, aquiline nose, giving him a somewhat aristocratic appearance." (From "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen, published 1813)
"The detective had a good nose for trouble, often sniffing out clues others missed." (From "The Maltese Falcon" by Dashiell Hammett, published February 1930)
Newspapers:
"The new aircraft's innovative nose design is expected to reduce drag significantly." (From a report on aviation technology, The Wall Street Journal)
"Public outcry forced the city council to nose around in the mayor's questionable spending." (The Guardian)
Online Publications:
"Scientists are developing an 'electronic nose' to detect diseases through breath analysis." (From MIT Technology Review)
"The company managed to nose ahead of its competitors in the last quarter thanks to a surge in online sales." (From an article on business trends, Forbes.com)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Follow your nose!" (Line spoken by Toucan Sam in commercials for Froot Loops cereal, first aired 1963 and ongoing)
Television: "The comedian's oversized prop nose got a huge laugh from the studio audience." (From a review of a late-night talk show, Vulture.com)
Music: "I've got a big nose and a bigger heart." (Lyric from the song "Big Nose" by the band Weezer, released on the album "Weezer (The Blue Album)
Video Games: "Players must guide their spaceship carefully to nose into the docking bay." (From a gameplay tutorial for the game Starfield)
General Public Discourse:
"Can you believe she had the nose to ask for a raise after that performance?" (Heard in a casual conversation at a coffee shop)
"The dog kept trying to nose its way under the fence." (Observed at a local park)
"I've got a runny nose from this cold." (Common phrase used when describing an illness)
10 Quotes Using Nose
"If the nose of Cleopatra had been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed." (Blaise Pascal, Pensées, published 1670)
"A man's nose is his castle." (Old English proverb)
"He has a nose for news." (Often attributed to journalists and editors)
"Always nose out the truth, even if it hurts." (Proverbial wisdom)
"Why do you keep sticking your nose into my business?" (Common idiom)
"Keep your nose to the grindstone." (Proverbial advice)
"Cut off your nose to spite your face." (Proverbial idiom)
"The nose knows." (Common phrase, popularized by advertisements for products like Charms Blow Pops)
"You've got a good nose on you for a story." (Often used in film and literature to describe perceptive characters)
"Put your nose where it belongs, not where it doesn't." (Proverbial advice)
Etymology
The word "nose" has a long and interesting history, tracing its roots back thousands of years!
In simple terms, "nose" comes from a very old word that meant the same thing: the part of your face used for smelling and breathing.
Here's a breakdown:
Ancient Origins: The ultimate ancestor of "nose" is believed to be the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root "*nas-" which meant "nose" or "nostril." PIE is a reconstructed language that's thought to be the common ancestor of many languages spoken today, including English, Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit.
Germanic Branch: From this PIE root, the word evolved through the Proto-Germanic language (an early form of Germanic languages) into "*nuso-". This is where we start to see words similar to "nose" popping up in other Germanic languages like Old Norse (nös), Dutch (neus), and German (Nase).
Old English: In Old English (the earliest form of the English language, before about 1150 AD), the word became "nosu." This "nosu" referred directly to "the nose of the human head, the special organ of breathing and smelling." This is the first known use of the word in English, appearing before the 12th century.
So, the very first meaning of "nose" in English was exactly what we understand it to be today: the fleshy part on your face that you use to breathe and smell. Over time, the word expanded to include other things that look like a nose (like the "nose" of an airplane) or activities related to the nose (like "nosing around" for information).
Phrases + Idioms Containing Nose
Nose around: To search for something, often secretly.
Keep one's nose to the grindstone: To work hard and diligently.
Cut off one's nose to spite one's face: To harm oneself while trying to harm another.
On the nose: Exactly right; precise.
Lead by the nose: To control someone completely.
Pay through the nose: To pay an excessively high price.
Look down one's nose at someone/something: To regard with disdain or contempt.
Under one's nose: Right in front of someone, obvious but unnoticed.
Follow one's nose: To go straight ahead; to trust one's instincts.
Have a nose for something: To have a natural ability to find or detect something.
Rub one's nose in it: To make someone confront their mistake or failure.
Nose out: To narrowly win a competition.
Poke one's nose into: To interfere in someone else's affairs.
By a nose: By a very small margin.
Straighten one's nose: To get one's affairs in order.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of nose from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
