nose

SayNOHZ/noʊz//nəʊz/

20 meanings of nose

1
nouncountable
The part of a person's or animal's face above the mouth that you breathe and smell through.
She wiped her nose with a tissue.
A bad cold can block your nose for days.
UsageSay blow your nose and a runny nose.
Note
2
front endnouncountable
The front or pointed end of something.
The nose of the plane pointed up as it took off.
She tapped the nose of the toy rocket.
Similarfront, tip, bow, point
Oppositetail, rear, stern
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3
wine smellnounidiomaticcountable
The smell of something, especially the smell of wine.
This wine has a rich, fruity nose.
Swirl the glass first, then stop for a moment to enjoy the nose.
UsageSay smoke on the nose for what a wine smells of.
Similarbouquet, aroma, scent, fragrance
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4
nouncountable
The ability to smell things, especially a trained skill for recognizing smells in wine or perfume.
Dogs have a much better nose than people do.
Her nose told her the milk had gone bad.
UsageSay a dog has a good nose.
Note
5
instinctnouncountable
A natural skill for finding out useful information.
Like a dog that always knows where the food is hidden.
A good reporter needs a nose for news.
His nose for trouble keeps him out of bad deals.
UsageSay she has a nose for news.
Similarinstinct, flair, feel, eye, knack
Note

Less common meanings

6
verbidiomatictransitive or intransitive
To look into things that are not your business.
Like a cat poking its head into every open box.
He is always nosing into other people's lives.
Stop trying to nose around in my private files.
UsageSay nose around or nose into something.
Similarpry, snoop, poke, meddle
7
verbintransitive
To move forward slowly and carefully with the front going first, like a car or boat.
The car nosed forward into the busy street.
The boat will nose into the narrow gap between the rocks.
UsageSay a boat noses into the harbor.
Similaredge, inch, creep, ease, crawl
8
just beatverbtransitive
To beat someone by just a tiny amount.
Our team nosed out the Tigers by a single point.
Our team can nose them out in the final seconds.
UsageSay nose out a rival.
Similaredge, pip, beat
9
distance (horse race)nouncountable
A very small distance between horses at the finish of a race, about the length of a horse's nose.
Like winning a race by just the tip of your finger.
The favorite won by a nose at the very last second.
Two horses crossed the line just a nose apart.
UsageSay win by a nose.
Similarwhisker, hair
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10
sniff outverbtransitive
To find or notice something by smell, or in a way that is like smelling.
Our beagle nosed out a sandwich buried in my backpack.
Good reporters can nose out a secret fast.
UsageSay dogs nose out hidden food.
Similarsmell, scent, detect, sense
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11
dive downverbintransitive
To drop suddenly downward at a steep angle, front first.
Like a paper airplane suddenly tipping and dropping toward the floor.
The old plane nosed down sharply toward the field.
When the engine failed, the jet began to nose toward the ground.
UsageSay the plane nosed down.
Similardive, plunge, plummet, drop
Oppositeclimb, rise, soar
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12
nudgeverbtransitive
To gently push something with the nose.
The puppy nosed the ball across the floor.
A hungry calf will nose its mother for milk.
Similarnuzzle, nudge, push
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13
nounidiomaticcountable
A quick look around to find things out.
She had a quick nose through the old letters.
Let me have a nose around the shop first.
UsageSay have a nose around for a curious look.
Similarsnoop, look, rummage, poke
14
perfume makernouncountable
A person whose job is to create perfumes.
Like a chef, but for smells instead of food.
The famous nose created a new scent for the spring collection.
She trained for years to become a nose at a perfume house.
Similarperfumer
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15
puzzle tabnouncountable
The small round part that sticks out from a puzzle piece and fits into the next piece.
Like the bump on a building block that snaps into the one below.
She fit the round nose of the jigsaw piece into the next one.
A bent nose made the puzzle piece hard to fit.
Similartab, knob
16
fit a front pieceverbtransitive
To fit something with a nose or front piece.
Like adding a spout to the front of a teapot.
The carpenter nosed each stair step so its front edge was round.
Dad will nose the new porch steps with strips of oak.
Note
17
nounslang
Someone who secretly tells the police about other people's crimes.
18
verbobsolete
To say words through your nose, making a flat humming sound.
It makes far better musick when you nose Sternold's, or Wisdom's meeter.
c. 1635, William Cartwright, The Ordinary
19
verbrare
To stand right in front of someone or something, facing it closely.
20
nounrare
A small part that hangs down from the top edge of a building.

Practice

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Origin

This word comes from Old English "nosu," meaning nose. It is related to words in many languages, like German "Nase" and Latin "nasus."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Nose comes from Old English nosu. en.wiktionary.org
Old English nosu means nose. en.wiktionary.org
Nose has relatives in many languages, including German Nase and Latin nasus. en.wikisource.org