• 1825 C. Westmacott Eng. Spy II. 112 Shall I send you the recorder's nose?

d. That part of a pair of spectacles or eye-glasses which crosses the nose; the bridge.

• 1895 Fu nk's Stand. Dict.

e. In Horse-racing: the nose of a horse used as an indication of the distance between two finishing horses. Phr.

to bet etc. on the nose

• 1908 L. Mitchell New York Idea i. 11 Flying Cloud slipped by the pair and won on the post by a nose in one for ty nine!

• 1951 Publ. Amer. Dial. Soc. xvi. 13 Bet on the nose.

• 1955 Amer. Speech XXX. 26 Laymen..will say that a horse won by a neck, head, or nose to describe any race which was extremely close. In this country a bet on a horse to win..is said to be on the nose.

• 1963 J. Prescot Case for Hearing iv. 71 Every afternoon that lad of mine is in the betting shop slapping as much as fifty quid a time on the nose.

  < li>1973 Times 12 Apr. 12/6 Ladbroke..assured me that I could lay L30,000 on the nose if I wished.

2.

a. The organ of smell.

• A. 1400-50 Alexander 4380 Quare-of pe b reth as of bawme blawis in oure noose.

• 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 184 Was dulcet & swete to ye mouth..& sauoured wele to the nose;

• 1588 Shaks. L.L.L. v. ii. 569 Your nose sme ls no, in this most tender smelling Knight.

• 1601 Shaks. All's Well v. ii. 11 Par. Nay you neede not to stop your nose sir... Clo. Indeed sir, if your Metaphor stinke, I will stop my nose.

• 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 67 Nor rost red Crabs t' offend the niceness of their Nose.

• 1735 Somerville Chase i. 324 His snuffling Nose, his active Tail Attest his Joy.

• 1784 Cowper Task ii. 259 That no rude savour maritime invade The nose of nice nobility!

fig.
• 1589 Marprel. Epit. B ij, I am sure their noses can abide no iest.

• 1591 Lodge (title-p.), Catharos, A N ettle for Nice Noses.

• 1792 Boswell Johnson an. 1784, 27 June, He entered upon a..discussion of the difference between intuition and sagacity;..one he observed was the eye of the mind, the other the nose of the mind.

b. The sense of smell; a (good, bad, etc.) faculty of smell or power of tracking by scent.

• C. 1350 Will. Palerne 92 Wi3tly pe werwolf pan went bi nose euene to pe herdes house.

• 1573 Baret Alv. s.v. Smell, He hath a very good nose: or he can smell very quickly.

• 1611 Cotgr. s.v. Nez, A dog of a deepe nose, or good sent.

• 1711 E. Ward Vulgus Brit. ii. 131 All tho' th e Puppies have no Noses They'l with them Hunt thro' Woods and Closes.

• 1732 Berkeley Alciphr. v. Sect.1 You shall often see among the dogs a loud babbler, with a bad nose, lead the unskilful part of the pack.

• 1856 < PSA>Stonehenge Brit. Rural Sports 28/1 The hunting power of the spaniel, its delicacy of nose [etc.].

• 1897 Outing XXIX. 543/2 He had a wonderful nose and as much bird-sense as I have ever known one dog's head to contai n.

fig.
• 1549 Latimer 5th Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 142 He was a gentilman of a longe nose... Thys Shyryffe was a couetuouse man.

• 1875 W. Hyde in C. F. Wingate Views & Interviews on Journali sm 196 The `nose for news', by which is meant unwearying alertness and insatiable hunger for something `ahead of the other papers'.

• 1876 E. Jenkins Blot on Queen's Hd. 10 Keen noses for their own interest.

• 1934 C. Lambert Music Ho! ii. 86 He had an astounding `nose' for the growth of any particular movement of taste or snobbism.

• 1942 E. Waugh Put out More Flags ii. 118 One does not work in the East without acquiring a nos e for a deal.

• 1960 Times 20 June 4/1 The crowds who always have a nose for personality.

• 1972 J. Cassells Profit for Picaroon v. 36 He was a damned good reporter..and he had a nose for a story.

  < /ul>

  c. Smell, odour, perfume; esp. of wines.

  • 1894 Blackmore Perlycross 61 The room was like a barn after a bad cold harvest, with a musty nose to it.

  • 1899 Haggard Farm. Year 8 July 265 Otherwise it [the hay] would lack `nose' and flavour.

  • 1936 F. C. Lloyd Art & Technique Wine xv. 146 The bouquet, or `nose' to use a more technical word, is very important and serves to reveal the characteristics of wines to a connoisseur.

  • 1952 A. Lichine Wines of France x. 107 Its tremendous nose-bouquet is too delicate a word-makes it [sc. Chambertin] a veritable Cyrano.

  • 1971 Guardian 12 Nov. 9/2 The dry white o f Beaucaire..has an aromatic `nose' and plenty of body.

  d.

  on the nose

  on the nose (Austral.): offensive, annoying; smelly.

  • 1941 Baker Dict. Austral. Slang 49 Nose, on the: (said of things) disliked, offensive.

  • 1945 T. Inglis Moore We're going Through 18 Withdraw! That's on the nose!

  • 1946 K. Tennant Lost Haven (1947) vi. 86 `Christ! Alec,' he complained. `This bait's a bit o n the nose, ain't it?' He spat over the side as the reek of fish-heads a week old..caught his stomach.

  • 1953 D. Cusack Southern Steel 138 The beer's on the nose and the plonk'd make a willy-wagtail fight an emu.

  • 1974 Australian 12 Dec. 13 She renounced her Australian citizenship and swore everlasting loyalty to the Stars and Stripes. A bit on the nose, we think.

  3. As an organ by which speech-sounds may be produced or affected. Chiefly in phrases

  in or through the nose

  in or through the nosein or through the nose.

  • 1530 Palsgr. 2 They sounde hym..a lyttell in the noose.

  • 1588 Shaks. L.L.L. iii. i. 16 Sing a note,..sometime through [the] nose.

  • 1604 Shaks. Oth. iii. i. 4 Haue your Instruments bin in Naples, that they speake i' th' Nose thus?

  • 1648 Visitation Oxford 4 Langle y (the new made Yeoman Bedell of Divinity) with Paper, Spectacles, and Nose proclaimed a Convocation.

  • 1741 A. Monro Anat. Nerves (ed. 3) 86 People labouring under a Coryza, or stopping of the Nose from any other Cause,..are by the Vulgar..said to speak through their Nose.

  • 1850 Dickens Dav. Copp. xxii, He..pays as he speaks..-through the nose.

  • 1888 [see nasally].

  4.

  a nose of wax

  a nose of wax, a thing easily turned or moulded in any way desired; a person easily influenced, one of a weak character.
  Very common c 1580-1700, esp. in allusions to wresting the Scriptures.

  • 1532 Tindale Expos. Matt. vi. 23 If the Scripture be contrary, then make it a nose of wax and wrest it this way and that way till it agree.

  • 1589 Cooper Admon. (Arb.) 58 Affirming..that the Scriptures are darke.., because they may bee wrested euery way, like a nose of waxe, or like a leaden Rule.

  • 1657 Burton's Diary (1828) II. 162 This Bill is not worth a second reading. It is a nose of wax.

  • 1686 Horneck Cr ucif. Jesus ix. 167 Oral Tradition, that nose of wax, which you may turn and set, which way you list.

  • 1748 Lond. Mag. 259 Are the laws for preventing the growth of popery only a nose of wax?

  • 1801 Huntington God Guard. of Poor 139 He turned his text into a nose-of-wax, in order to make it fit my face.

  • 1821 Galt Annals Parish xii, Her ladyship..said that I was a nose-of-wax.

  • 1880 Disraeli Endym. III. xxx. 300 He was a nose of wax with this woman.

  5. slang. A spy or informer; one who supplies information to the police. (See also quot. 1812.)

  • 1789 G. Parker Life's Pain ter xv. 151 Nose.-Snitch.

  • 1812 J. H. Vaux Flash Dict., Nose, a thief who becomes an evidence against his accomplices;..also a spy or informer of any description.

  • 1830 Boston Gaz. 26 Oct. 1 The fir st issue of forged notes, it is stated by a nose (an informer), amounted to 500.

  • 1888 Pall Mall G. 11 Oct. 88 The co-operation of the..policeman with female `pals' and `noses'.

  • 1928 E. Wallace Gunner xviii. 1 45 He was just a little thief and a nose.

  • 1954 [see grass sb.1 12].

  • 1961 John o' London's 30 Nov. 610/3 Other words used for him [sc. an informer] include grass, nose, [etc.].

  • 1974 R. Edwards Dixon of Dock Green 7 He knew that CID men are allowed to drink on duty because much of their time is spent with `noses' or informants.

  II. In phrases more or less figurative.

  6.

  a. In various colloquial or allusive expressions.

  to make a long nose

  to make a long nose (see long a.1 1 c).

  to have, or take, pepper in the nose

  to have, or take, pepper in the noseto have, or take, pepper in the nose (see pepper sb. 4 b). < /note>

  • 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2090 Maximian was suppe aslawe maugre is nose.

  • 13.. K. Alis. 7812 (MS. Laud 622), The kyng hym dude quyk dispose, Wip harme to his owen nose.

  • 1338 R. Brunne Chron.< /i> (1810) 95 A Breton (dapet his nose) for Roberd pider sent.

  • 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. iv. 164 But he be knowe for a koke-wolde kut of my nose.

  • 1526 Skelton Magnyf. 835 Pryde hath plucked thé b y the nose;

  • 1577 F. de Lisle's Legendarie F vij b, If she [the Queen-mother] had not supported them, their noses had then kissed the ground.

  • 1589 Pasquil's Ret. B ij b, They prooue so ridiculous.., that I am ready to stand on my nose.

  • 1605 Tryall Chev. i. iii, Tary, sir, tary, we want the length of your nose.

  • 1632 Strafford in Browning & Foster Life (1892) App. ii. 301 The Commission of th e Peace, (the instrument of terroure by which he pulled them on along with him by the noses).

  • 1687 T. Brown in Villiers (Dk. Buckhm.) Wks. 1705 II. 126 He durst hardly show his Nose over his hatch.

  • 1734 Pope Ess . Man iv. 224 Onward still he goes, Yet ne'er looks forward farther than his nose.

  • 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. III. ii. i, Seeing clearly to the length of its own nose, it is not paralysed.

  • 1861 Hug hes Tom Brown at Oxf. vi, You've always got your nose in the manger.

  • 1917 R. Fry Let. 23 Nov. (1972) II. 420 Millions of people..catch me on the telephone the moment I just put my nose inside the Omega.

  • 1922 Joyce Ulysses 322 In Shanagolden where he daren't show his nose.

  • 1935 J. Buchan House of Four Winds i. 42, I should like to put my nose inside Evallonia just to say I'd been there.

  • 1947 M. Lowry Under Vol cano i. 25 Geoffrey's `nose was always in a book'.

  • 1963 Nose wide open [see fox sb. 2 c].

  • 1968 M. Jones Survivor ii. 33 It was considered anti-social to `have y our nose stuck in a book'.

  • 1970 C. Major Dict. Afro-Amer. Slang 85 `Nose wide open' is to be in love.

  Comb.
  • 1882 Floyer Unexpl. Baluchistan 245 There was a general nose-in-the-air, de fiant kind of aspect.

  b. (

  in spite of one's nose

  in) spite of one's nose, notwithstanding one's opposition or objection. Also in ME.

  maugre his nose

  maugre his nose (see prec., qu ot. 1297). ? Obs.

  • 1570 Satir. Poems Reform. x. 183 Than come 3our king..And reft him from hir in spyte of his nois.

  • 1579 Fulke Heskins' Parl. 286 In spite of his nose, he must confesse al this speach to be figuratiue.

  • 1659 Hammond On Ps. cxxxviii. 7 Our English usual expression, in spite of the nose of mine enemies.

  • 1664 Cotton Scarron. Wks. (1725) 110 He would go, spite of all t heir Noses.

  • 1675 Cotton Burlesque upon B. ibid. 182 Spight of your Nose, and will ye, nill ye, I will go home again, that will I.

  c. In comparisons denoting that something is perfectly plain or obvious . Also ironically.

  • 1591 Shaks. Two Gent. ii. i. 142 Oh Iest vnseene: inscrutible: inuisible, As a nose on a mans face, or a Wethercocke on a steeple.

  • 1655 H. More Second Lash 200 As plain as th e nose on a mans face.

  • 1695 Congreve Love for L. iv. viii, 'Tis as plain as the nose in one's face.

  • 1773 Graves Spir. Quix. v. xix, The Gentleman..has made it as plain as the nose in one's face, if one did but understand him.

  • 1821 Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 157 It's as plain as the nose on your face for to see't.

  • 1873 Hardy Pair Blue Eyes iii, It is as plain as the nose in your face that there's y our origin.

  d.

  to count, or tell, noses

  to count, or tell, nosesto count, or tell, noses, denoting the counting of persons, esp. those on one side or party.

  • 1657 < i>Leveller in Harl. Misc. (1745) IV. 515 The Leveller's Designs, to make all Men's Estates to be equal, and to divide the Land by telling Noses.

  • 1691 New Disc. Old Intreague xxxiv, Tells how in Common Hall he counted Nos es.

  • 1711 Shaftesb. Charac. (1737) I. 148 Some modern zealots appear to have no better knowledg of truth, nor better manner of judging it, than by counting noses.

  • A. 1734 North Examen iii. vii. Sect. 29 (1740) 523 As if there had been none better than Number, or telling Noses.

  7. In prepositional phrases, chiefly denoting closeness or proximity to a person or thing.

  a.

  at one's very noseat one's (very) nose. (Still colloq. or dial.)

  • 1526 St. Papers Hen. VIII, VI. 543 That citie stondith in a very strong place hard at his [the Pope's] nose.

  • 1568 Grafton Chron. II. 695 Because the war was ouert at his nose, with the French kyng.

  • 1659 B. Harris Parival's Iron Age 45 The taking of so important a place; just at the nose of so strong an Army.

  • 1704 N. N. tr. Boccalini's A dvts. fr. Parnass. II. To Rdr., They make 'em believe, Rewards and Honours are just at their very Noses.

  b.

  under one's very nose

  under one's (very) nose.
  Freq. implying that an action is done i n defiance of a person, or without his perceiving it.

  • A. 1548 Hall Chron., K. Hen. V 38 Why doth your grace..covet a countrey farre from your sight, before a realme under your nose?

  • 1577 Harrison England ii. i. (1877) i. 30 In some places where the kings and princes dwelled not under his [the Pope's] nose.

  • 1607 Norden Surv. Dial. i. 7 You are but a meane obseruer of the course..of things passing dayl y under your nose.

  • 1670 Cotton Espernon i. iv. 153 They..suffer'd the Duke..to continue his work under their noses.

  • 1707 Freind Peterborow's Cond. Spain 240 His Lordship procur'd and bought near 800 Horses, under the Enemies nose.

  • 1775 Sheridan Duenna iii. vi, They continue to sin under my very nose.

  • 1856-7 Geo. Eliot Sc. Clerical Life ii. i, A parson, always under your nose on your o wn estate.

  c.

  by one's nose

  by one's nose, very close to one.

  to one's nose

  to one's nose, before one's face.

  on the nose of

  on the nose of, immediately before, on the e ve of.

  on the nose

  on the nose (U.S.): accurately, precisely, to the heart of the situation; accurate, precise (esp. of time).

  nose to nose

  nose to nose, closely face to face, directly opposite.

  • 1549< /b> Latimer 5th Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 142 She had hir landes by the Shiriffes nose.

  • 1588 Shaks. Tit. A. ii. i. 94 What, hast not thou full often strucke a Doe, And borne her cleanly by the Keepers nose?

    1607 Shaks. Cor. iv. vi. 83 To see your Wiues dishonour'd to your Noses.

  • 1681 Sir J. Lauder Scot. Affairs (Bann. Cl.) 304 That they, on the nose of a Parliament, came so near the deciding on dubious electio ns.

  • 1732 Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.) I. 382 You sit down quite close as ever you can, nose to nose.

  • 1781 Cowper Conv. 270 In contact inconvenient, nose to nose.

  • 1855 Thackeray Newco mes II. 283 The two parties would often meet nose to nose in the same street.

  • 1937 Printers' Ink Monthly May 40/1 On the button, a program ending exactly on time... On the nose, see `On the button'.

  • 19 43 New Yorker 30 Oct. 21/1 I'll meet you there happest twelve, but on the nose.

  • 1944 W. C. Greet World Words p. v, This book has been prepared in great haste. To be readily understood, and, in radio parlance, to be on t he nose, were its prime requirements.

  • 1958 B. Holiday Lady sings Blues (1973) ii. 27 `You were supposed to be out weeks ago,' they told one girl. But I got out right on the nose at the end of four months.

  • 1959 N. Mailer Advts. for Myself (1961) 240 Malcolm Cowley was right on the nose when he wrote that The Deer Park was a far more difficult book to write than The Naked and the Dead.

  • 1962 P. Gregory Like Tigress at Bay i. 14 `That's it.' he said. `You've hit it right on the nose.'

  • 1972 R. H. Copperud Dict. Contemp. & Colloq; Usage (Eng.-Lang. Inst. Amer.) 21/1 On the nose, right on target; exactly; accurately; on the button.

    < li>1974 Hawkey & Bingham Wild Card xxii. 176 The cerebroid was properly docked in the flight couch. `Right on the nose,' Stillman said.

  d.

  before one's nose

  before one's nose, right in fro nt of one.

  • C. 1600 Distr. Emperor v. iv, What a lardge passage..Theise prynces make to come unto the way Which lyes before their nosses!

  • 1883 Stevenson Treas. Isl. xiii, I ran straight before my nose, till I could run no longer.

  8. In phrases with verbs, implying something done to, or with, one's own nose:

  a.

  to follow one's nose

  to follow one's nose, to go straight forwar d; fig. to be guided by instinct.

  • 1591 Greene Art Conny catch. Wks. (Grosart) X. 35 Who so hath not some sinister way to help himselfe, but foloweth his nose alwaies straight forward.

  • 1605 Shaks. Le ar ii. iv. 70 All that follow their noses are led by their eyes, but blinde men.

  • 1664 Cotton Scarron. 60 There lies your way, follow your Nose.

  • 1692 Bentley Boyle Lect. ii. (1724) 79 The main Ma xim of his [Epicurus's] Philosophy was to trust to his Senses, and follow his Nose.

  • 1742 Fielding J. Andrews ii. ii, Adams asked him if he could direct him to an alehouse. The fellow..bade him follow his nose.

  • < b>1822 Byron Juan viii. xxxii, Juan, following honour and his nose.

  • 1860 Ld. Lytton Lucile ii. i. Sect.1. 40 To pay through his nose just for following it.

  b.

  < H1>to poke, put, or thrust, one's noseto poke, put, or thrust, one's noseto poke, put, or thrust, one's nose, to poke or pry into something, esp. a matter which does not properly concern one. Conversely

  to keep one's nose clean

  to keep one's nose clean, to behave properly, keep out of trouble (see also quot. 1909).

  • 1611 Cotgr. s.v. Nez, Mettre le nez par tout, to thrust his nose into euery cor ner.

  • 1648 Hexham, Besnoffelen, to See Prie, or Have his nose in every thing.

  • 1755 Johnson s.v., To thrust one's Nose into the affairs of others, to be meddling with other people's matters; to be a busy body.

  • 1809 W. Irving Knickerb. (1861) 86 In those days nobody..thrust his nose into other people's affairs.

  • 1850 Thackeray Pendennis II. xxxvi. 347 Beck! leave the room. What do you want poking your nose in here ?

  • 1856 Reade Never too Late xv, If he hadn't been a fool and put his nose into my business.

  • 1883 M. Pattison Mem. (1885) 190 A flourishing Evangelical, who poked his nose into everything.

  • 1887 Lantern (New Orleans) 13 Oct. 5/3 There's worse fellows than you looking for it, and if you only keep your nose clean, we'll let you have it.

  • 1909 J. R. Ware Passing Eng. 162/1 Keep your nose clean (Army), avoid dri nk.

  • 1934 J. O'Hara Appointment in Samarra ii. 54, I give you the sawbuck because you've just got out of the can. Keep your nose clean.

  • 1945 P. Cheyney I'll say she Does! i. 12 You're a guy who has gotta rep utation for keepin' his nose clean, but..you're in bad with the big boy.

  • 1959 N. Mailer Advts. for Myself (1961) 350 You boys on Channel Five want to keep your nose clean, now don't you?

  • 1960 C. MacInnes Mr. Lov e & Justice 15 What we're offering you is-well, influence... How you manage there, provided you keep your nose clean, is really up to you.

  • 1970 N. Armstrong et al. First on Moon i. 23 Do what people tell you, keep your nose clean and work out your academic progress.

  • 1974 A. Ross Bradford Business 64 Denis Fitzgerald..a known associate of villains, but managed to keep his own nose clean.

  c.

  to turn up one's noseto turn up one's nose, to show disdain. Also,

  to look down one's nose

  to look down one's nose.

  • 1818 Byron Juan i. clix, Antonia.., turning up her nose, with looks abused Her master.

    1845 Ford Handbk. Spain i. 28 The better classes turn up their noses at these odoriferous delicacies of the peasantry.

  • 1879 B. Taylor Germ. Lit. 7 What learning there was in those days..turned up its nose a t the strains of the native minstrels.

  • 1921 Galsworthy To Let iii. xi. 306 That chap Jolyon's water-colours were on view there. He went in to look down his nose at them-it might give him some faint satisfaction.

  • 1932 Sun (Baltimore) 24 Oct. 8/1 It is getting more difficult for a lawyer to look down his nose at the courtroom, with consequent impairment of the prestige of the courts.

  • 1956 A. Wilson Anglo-Saxon Att. i. iv. 102 When you were all little babies, I used to sing and dance all day. The English neighbours would say `That young Mrs Middleton's quite mad', and look down their noses-so!

  • 1973 Times 24 Apr. 5/4 The portrait of the famous wi dow, who invented the topsy-turvy logic of remuage and dégorgement..looks down her nose down the stairs at her successors in the craft.

  d.

  to hold up one's nose

  to hold up one's nose, to be proud or haughty.

  to hang a nose

  to hang a nose, to have an inclination or hankering.

  to fuddle one's nose

  to fuddle one's nose (see fuddle v. 2 b).

  to cut off one's nose

  to cut off one's nose, etc., to do something to one's own hurt or loss.

  • 1579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 228/1 Let women holde vppe their noses no more: for all their presumption is sufficiently beaten downe here.

  • 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch. Hen. V cxxv, Chuse his Bread, And hang a Nose to Leekes, Quaile-Surfetted.

  • 1655 tr. Sorel's Com. Hist. Francion viii. 19 If there be in my kitchin any thi ng better than another..this Gallant wil hang a nose after it.

  • 1796 Grose's Dict. Vulgar Tongue (ed. 3) s.v., He cut off his nose to be revenged of his face. Said of one who, to be revenged on his neighbour, has materially injured himself.

  • 1867 Trollope Chron. Barset xxiv, I make it a rule never to cut the nose off my own face.

  e.

  to hold one's nose

  to hold one's nose: to compress the nostrils between the fing ers in order to avoid perceiving a (bad) smell. Also fig.

  • A. 1592 Greene Jas. IV (1905) II. i. ii. 102 A stiffe docket,-hold your nose, master.

  • 1830 Coleridge Table-T. 8 July (1884) 10 2 Son of Jacob! Thou stinkest foully. See the man in the moon! he is holding his nose at thee at that distance.

  • 1900 Fortn. Rev. Jan. 74 Surely there are times when he is forced to hold his nose and shut his eyes to shut out the abominable visions he conjures up for us.

  • 1973 Times 18 Sept. 18/2 Then abolish all alternatives to this public system of education, at which they hold their noses.

  f.

  to thumb one's nose

  to thumb one's nose: to put one's thumb to one's nose and extend the fingers as a gesture of derision: to `cock a snook'. Also fig. orig. U.S.

  • 1903 R. Dunn Diary 25 July (1907) ix. 109 He thumbed his no se at us.

  • 1929 A. C. & C; Edington Studio Murder Myst. iv. 37 Underlings in the studio thumbed their noses at his back.

  • 1947 W. Motley Knock on any Door 119 Behind Ma's back Ang thumbed her nose at him a nd stuck out her tongue.

  • 1973 J. Wainwright High-Class Kill 163 They are already thumbing their snotty, aristocratic noses at us.

  g.

  to get it up one's nose

  to get it up one's nose: i n P. G. Wodehouse

  a. to become angry;

  b. to become infatuated.

  • 1925 Wodehouse Carry on, Jeeves! iii. 67 This lad seems to have chucked all the principles of a well-spent bo yhood. He has got it up his nose!

  • 1934 Wodehouse Right ho, Jeeves xvii. 220 So thoroughly had Gussie got it up his nose by now that it seemed to me that had he sighted me he might have become personal about even an old school frie nd.

  • 1961 Wodehouse Service with Smile (1962) ix. 135, I have seldom seen a man who has got it so thoroughly up his nose.

  • 1971 Wodehouse Much Obliged, Jeeves iii. 20 He had spoken of her..with devotion in eve ry syllable. Plainly he had got it up his nose and didn't object to being bossed.

  • 1973 Wodehouse Bachelors Anonymous viii. 92 `See what I mean?.. Got it right up his nose,' said Mr. Llewellyn. `I have seldom seen a case where the symptoms were more clearly marked,' said Mr. Trout. `He is taking her to dinner.'

  h.

  to get up someone's nose

  to get up someone's nose: (see quot. 1951).

  • 1951 Pa rtridge Dict. Slang 1120/2 Nose, get up one's, to upset, annoy, irritate, render `touchy'.

  • 1975 Daily Mail 6 Aug. 7/1 The implication that granny was a little winning knockout with a system that couldn't be bettered.. does, I'm afraid, get rather up my nose.

  • 1975 Times Lit. Suppl. 26 Sept. 1102/2 The police pulled them [sc. homeless alcoholics] in whenever they got up the public's nose too much.

  i.

  to get one's nose down to

  to get one's nose down (to): to work arduously and concentratedly (at). Cf. grindstone 2 b.

  • 1962 Times 31 May 4/1 Getting their noses really down to business.

  • 1966 Wodehouse Plum Pie i. 11 One would certainly have expected him by this time to have raised the price of a marriage licence and had the Bishop and assistant clergy getting their noses down to it.

  < /S4>

  9. In phrases with verbs, implying something done to another person.

  a.

  to cast in, or lay to, one's nose

  to cast in, or lay to, one's noseto cast in, or lay to, one's nose, to reproach or upbraid one with. Obs. (Cf. cast v. 65.)

  • 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 10 He wyll obiecte it to the, and cast it in thy nose.

  • 1 579 Tomson Calvin's Serm. Tim. 256/1 Let euery one of us..take such heede to him selfe, that this reproch bee not laide to our noses.

  • A. 1600 Flodden F. (1664) 75 Let it never be laid unto our nose, That Scotchmen made u s turn our back.

  b.

  to put or thrust one's nose out of joint

  to put (or +thrust) one's nose out of jointto put (or +thrust) one's nose out of joint, etc., to displace or supplant one; to spoil one's plans; to throw out or disconcert in some way.

  • 1581 Rich Farew. Milit. Profess. K iv, It could bee no other then his owne manne, that had thrust his nose so farre out of ioynte.

  • 1598 R. Bernard t r. Terence, Eunuch i. ii, Fearing now lest this wench..should put your nose out of joynt.

  • 1662 Pepys Diary 31 May, The King is pleased enough with her: which, I fear, will put Madam Castlemaine's nose out of joynt.

  • 1754 Goodall Exam. Lett. Mary Q. of Scots 9 This method of proceeding..thrust their noses quite out of joint.

  • 1781 J. Adams in Fam. Lett. (1876) 403 Burgoyne don't seem to be affronted that his [= Cornwallis 's] nose is out of joint.

  • 1840 Mrs. Trollope Widow Married xi, She won't put my nose out, any how.

  • 1860 Thackeray Lovel vi, My dear, I guess your ladyship's nose is out of joint.

  c.

  to bite or snap one's nose off

  to bite or snap one's nose offto bite or snap one's nose off, to answer snappishly.
  Cf. Robinson tr. More's Utopia (Arb.) 25, and Shaks. Much Ado v. i. 115.

  • 1599 Nashe Lenten Stuffe 47 Shee was a shrewish snappish bawd, that wold bite off a mans nose with an answere.

  • 1709 Mrs. Centlivre Busie Body i. i, I..ask'd him if he was at leisu re for his Chocolate,..but he snap'd my Nose off; no, I shall be busy here these two Hours.

  d.

  to make a bridge of one's nose

  to make a bridge of one's nose (see quots.).

  • A. 1700 B. E. < i>Dict. Cant. Crew s.v., You make a Bridge of his Nose, when you pass your next Neighbor in Drinking, or one is preferr'd over another's Head.

  • 1731-8 Swift Pol. Conversat. ii. Wks. 1751 XII. 242 Pray, my Lord, d on't make a Bridge of my Nose.

  • 1768 Ray's Prov. 180 To make a bridge of one's nose, i.e. To intercept one's trencher, cup, or the like; or to offer or pretend to do kindnesses to one, and then pass him by, and do it to another; to lay hold upon and serve himself of that which was intended for another.

  • 1828 in Craven Dial. s.v.

  e.

  to bite by the nose

  to bite by the nose, to treat with contempt.

  to bore one' s nose

  to bore one's nose, to cheat, swindle.

  to joint one's nose of

  to joint one's nose of, to trick one out of.

  to play with one's nose

  to play with one's nose, to make game of one.

  to make one's nose swell

  to make one's nose swell, to make one jealous or envious.

  to rub occas. push one's nose in it

  to rub (occas. push) one's nose in itto rub (occas. push) one's nose in it: to remind (someone) h umiliatingly of his error; to make (someone) acutely aware of (a fault, etc.).
  See also grindstone 2 b, and lead v.1 4 c.

  • 1584 B. R. tr. Herodotus, Euterpe (1888) 163 Apyres was perswaded that neither god nor the diuell coulde haue ioynted his nose of the Empyre.

  • 1590 Greene Arcadia (1616) 29 Pesana hearing how pleasantly Melicer tus plaide with her nose, thought to giue him a great bone to gnawe vpon.

  • 1603 Shaks. Meas. for M. iii. i. 109 Has he affections in him, That thus can make him bite the Law by th' nose?

  • 1611 Cotgr., Nas arder, to fillip;..also, to frumpe, or breake a ieast on; play with the nose of.

  • 1625 Fletcher & Shirley Nt. Walker ii. iii, I'll take order she shall ne'er recover To bore my nose.

  • 1642 Howell For. Trav. (Arb.) 44, I have known divers Dutch Gentlemen grosly guld by this cheat, and som English bor'd also through the nose this way.

  • 1743 in Howell St. Trials (1813) XVII. 1187 He heard lord Altham say,..my wife has got a son, which will make my brother's nose swell.

  • 1963 P. M. Hubbard Flush as May xiii. 121 I'm sorry. I've said I'm sorry... Don't rub my nose in it.

  • 1967 M. Hunter Cambridgeshire Disaster vii. 47 I t makes a change, I suppose,..having your nose rubbed in it.

  • 1971 D. Lees Rainbow Conspiracy i. 18 Using me on a hard news story would be pushing their noses in it-treating them like a branch office with printing facilities.

  • 1972 Times Lit. Suppl. 3 Mar. 234/1 Discontinuity will not do on its own for a resolute dualist and Bataille wants to rub our noses in the idea of the continuous.

  10.

  a. In allusions to t he act of wiping the nose.

  • 1437 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 176 Thus they wold, if we will beleve, Wypen our nose with our owne sleve.

  • 1562 J. Heywood Prov. & Epigr; (1867) 80, I may..make you wype your n ose vpon your sleeue.

  • 1575 Gamm. Gurton v. i, She will..byd you seeke your remedy, and so go wype your nose.

  • 1611 Cotgr. s.v. Nez, They wipe his nose with his owne sleeue, his taile with his owne sh irt; they allow him meat, or meanes, out of his owne money.

  • 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw; 160 It was used in that good old world, when men wiped their nose on their sleeve (as the French man sayes).

  b.

  to wipe one's nose of

  to wipe one's nose of, to deprive, defraud, or cheat one of (anything). Obs.

  • 1598 R. Bernard tr. Terence, Eunuch i. i, The very destruction of our substance: w ho wipes our noses of all that we should have.

  • 1630 R. Johnson's Kingd. & Commw; 362 Many thinke his nose will be wiped of it.

  • 1667 Pepys Diary 17 July, That..the King [might] own a marriage before his c ontract..with the Queene, and so wipe their noses of the Crown.

  • 1721 Cibber Rival Fools Wks. ii. 1754 I. 29, I durst lay my Life thou wipest this foolish Knight's Nose of his Mistress at last.

  11.

  to pay through the nose

  to pay through the nose, to pay excessively; to be charged exorbitantly.

  • 1672 Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 270 Made them pay for it most unconscionably and through the Nose.

  • A. 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew.

  • 1782 Miss Burney Cecilia x. vi, She knows nothing of business, and is made to pay for every thing through the nose.

  • 1809 Malkin Gil Blas < sc>i. ii. P10 But paying through the nose was not the worst of it.

  • 1860 [see 8 a].

  • 1893 Baring-Gould Cheap Jack Zita I. 136 Something for which the public had that day paid, and paid through the nose.

  III. In transferred uses.

  12.

  a. A socket on a candlestick, into which the lower end of the candle is inserted. Obs.

  • 1431 Rec. St. Mary at Hill (19 04) 27 A kandelstyk of laton with foure nosis.

  • 1534 More Comf. agst. Trib. ii. Wks. 1172/1 The snuffe of a candle that burneth wt in the candlestickes nose.

  • 1534 More Comf. agst. Trib., ii. Wks. 1172/1 A flame halfe an ynch aboue the nose.

  • 1577 tr. Bullinger's Decades iii. v. (1592) 347 Christ is the shanke or shaft of the candlesticke, vpon which shanke many snuffers or noses do sticke, which hold e the light vp to the Church.

  b. The open end of a pipe or tube; the muzzle of a gun, the nozzle of a pair of bellows, etc.

  • 1598 Barret Theor. Warres iii. i. 34 Holding the nose of his pee ce somwhat vpward.

  • 1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. ii. iv, A wretched rascall, that will binde about The nose of his bellowes, lest the wind get out When hee's abroad.

  • 1664 Evelyn Kal. Hort. (1729) 231 The Thermometer hanging over the Nose of the Ground-pipe, by which to govern the Heat.

  • 1690 Lond. Gaz. No. 2609/4 A streight Key with a Steel Nose.

  • 1730 Chamberlayne Relig. Philos. II. xvii. Sect.21 Take a S yringe;..put the End or Nose of it in Water.

  • 1757 A. Cooper Distiller i. xxi. (1760) 85 A large glass..placed under the Nose of the Worm.

  • 1844 Regul. & Ordin; Army 97 A plug of wood is then to b e put into the nose of the Barrel.

  • 1890 W. J. Gordon Foundry 143 The gatherer dips his pipe or tube inside this ring, and with a twirl collects on the end, or `nose', a pear-shaped lump.

  c. The beak or rostrum of an alembic, retort, or still.

  • 1651 French Distill. v. 146 Take a Caldron with a great and high cover having a beake or nose.

  • 1678 R. Russell tr. Geber ii. i. x. 107 An Alembeck with a wide nose or beak.

  • 1758 Reid tr. Macquer's Chym. I. 396 Let the nose of the retort enter about half an inch into the water.

  d. The neck of a globe of glass when detached from the blow-pipe.

  • 1844 Civil Eng. & Arch. Jrnl; VII. 35/2 The nose of the glass is heated in a furnace constructed at one side, which is called the nose-hole.

  • 1880 Spons' Encycl. Manuf. I. 1064 The end of the piece which was n ext the now detached pipe, is called the nose.

  e. = nose-hole 2.

  • 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 581 The outside is built of common brick,..and the mouth or no se of Stourbridge fire-clay.

  f. = nose-pipe 2.

  • 1874 Raymond Statist. Mines & Mining 306 The throat had to be kept dark, the `noses' also dark, and about 6 inches in length.

  13. The prow, bow, or stem of a ship or boat. Hence, the corresponding part of an aeroplane, motor vehicle, torpedo, surfboard, etc.

  • 1538 Elyot, Coronis.., t he nose of a shippe.

  • 1569 Stocker tr. Diod. Sic. iii. viii. 114 He..embarqued..great store of Shot and Engines.., planting them in the Noses of his Gallies.

  • 1583 Stocker Civ. Warres Lowe C. iii. 112 b, The nose of one of them so touched vpon the shore of the Ryuer, as that she was not able well to turne her selfe about.

  • 1613 Purchas Pilgrimage (1864) 53 One of the Gallies lost her Nose with a shot.

  • 1749< /b> Naval Chron. III. 206 The Ship rode with a whole cable before her nose.

  • 1853 Kane Grinnell Exp. xxxii. (1856) 277 The brig remains as she was-her nose burrowing in the snow.

  • 1889 J. K. Jerome Three Me n in Boat xviii, The nose of our boat had got fixed under the woodwork of the lock.

  • 1899 Royal Mag. Jan. 251/1 In the `nose' of the torpedo.

  • 1899 H. G. Wells When Sleeper Wakes xxiv. 320 The nose of the m achine jerked upward steeply.

  • 1903 Science Siftings 7 Nov. 68/1 When the operator wishes to descend he pulls on a line which lowers the nose of the kite.

  • 1906 Strand Mag. May 516/2 In such cases they put the nose of the machine to the opposite side.

  • 1914 War Illustr. I. 406 A British Army biplane that collapsed and fell with its nose in the earth.

  • 1942 R.A.F. Jrnl. 13 June 33 Always face the nose of the bomb. When I say `nose' I mean the end which is away from the explosive charge.

  • 1962 S. Carpenter in Into Orbit 57 The engineers designed the capsule so that the blunt-nose would come down first.

  • 1962 T. Masters Surfi ng made Easy 64 Nose, the front of the surfboard.

  • 1968 W. Warwick Surfriding in N.Z. 3/2 The nose was rounded with a slight uplift or rocker.

  • 1971 M. Tak Truck Talk 110 Nose, the foremos t part of a trailer.

  14.

  a. A prominent or projecting part; the point or extremity of anything.

  In technical use in a number of special applications.

  • 1592 Lyly Gallathe a i. iv, The Lode-stone that alwaies holdeth his nose to the North.

  • 1676 Moxon Print Lett. 48 The Nose of Small Letters project also 3 parts.

  • 1688 Holme Armoury iii. 239/2 Their Shooes do turn up at the Nose, after the manner of a hook.

  • 1688 Holme Armoury 289/1 The Nose is either ends of the Shuttle, which are ever tipt with Iron.

  • 1747 Hooson Miner's Dict. Q j, Bringing up the Earth upon t he Nose or end of his Spade.

  • 1829 Sporting Mag. XXIII. 388 What we call a wheel-iron, placed, as usual, on the nose of an axle-tree.

  • 1871 L. Stephen Playgr. Eur. (1894) v. 118 Blue crevasses..were drawn acro ss the protruding nose of ice.

  b. A projecting part of a shell; also spec. of tortoise-shell (see quot. 1858).

  • 1681 Grew Musæum i. vi. i. 128 It is not pro perly the Nose or Beak of the Snail, but of its shell.

  • 1705 Phil. Trans. XXIV. 1953 The Nose lies in the midst of its hinge.

  • 1858 Simmonds Dict. Trade, Noses, a name given to some of the smaller shell plates from the edges of the carapace of the sea-tortoise.

  c. Archit. The projecting part or edge of a moulding, stair-tread, or mullion.

  • C. 1815 Mar. Edgeworth Parent's Assist. (1854) 3 20 He broke off in the midst of a speech about the nose of the stairs.

  • 1847 Smeaton Builder's Man. 184 All cornices and mouldings, and all works where the running mould is used, are measured from the nose of the moulding to the wal l.

  • 1876 Encycl. Brit. IV. 475/1 Draw lines, showing the face (or what the workmen call the nose) of the mullion.

  d. Bookbinding: (see quot.).

  • 1865 Hannett B ibliopegia Gloss. 399 In glueing up a volume, if the workman has not been careful to make all the sheets occupy a right line at the head, it will present a point either at the beginning or end, which point is called a nose.

  e. A projecting part of an electric traction motor by which it is suspended from the framework of the bogie or vehicle.

  • 1907 Parshall & Hobart Electric Railway Engin. x. 451 In the case of a heavy motor there is usually a nose in the frame casting which rests on a bar carried by springs on the transom.

  • 1927 R. E. Dickinson Electric Trains vi. 110 On the other side of the motor case a projecting `nose' is cast and this nose is fixed on the bogie tr ansom with a stiff spring above and below it.

  • 1955 E. A. Binney Electric Traction Engin. vii. 126 The nose end of the motor is resiliently supported on the bogie transom.

  15. The `eye' of an a pple, gooseberry, etc.

  • 1718 Mrs. Eales Receipts 24 To preserve Green Jennitins. Cut out the Stalk and Nose, and put 'em in cold Water on a Coal-Fire 'till they peel.

  • 1736,
  • 1879 [implied in nose v. 5 a].

  • 1887 S. Cheshire Gloss., Nose, the blossom on the ends of ripe gooseberries or currants.

  16.

  white nose

  white nose< /b>, a small white wave-crest.

  • 1866 Crichton Ramble Orcades 110 Many a `white nose' chequering the blueness of the more open water.

  IV. attrib. and Comb.

  17. General combs.

  a. Attributive, as

  nose-bleeding

  nose-bleeding,

  nose-bone

  -bone,

  nose-breadth

  -breadth,

  nose-carbuncle

  -carbuncle,

  nose-cloth

  -cl oth,

  nose-jam

  -jam,

  nose-net

  -net,

  nose-peg

  -peg,

  nose-pin

  -pin,

  nose-tip

  -tip,

  weight

  weight, etc.

  • 1578 Lyte Dodo ens Table Nature Herbs, [To] Stanche *Nose bleeding.

  • 1897 Allbutt's Syst. Med. III. 461 Nose-bleeding and other strange effects.

  • 1890 W. F. Butler Sir Charles Napier xiii. 188 Others..have not had the nerves torn by a jagged ball passing through, breaking *nose-bones and jaw-bones, and lacerating nerves.

  • 1956 H. Gold Man who was not with It (1965) i. 7 Even if the sharpest nosebones worked their way into my cheek s.

  • A. 1667 C. Hoole School-Colloq. 98 You are deceived your *nose-breadth, for we are repeating together.

  • 1572 Huloet, *Nose-bridge, or the particion whiche standeth between the twoo nosethryl les.

  • 1652 Benlowes Theoph. i. xx. 4 When our *nose-carbuncles, like link boys blaze before 'um.

  • 1589 Nashe Introd. Greene's Menaph. (Arb.) 15 Hee made his moist *nosecloth, the pausing intermedium, twixt euerie nappe.

  • C. 1000 Ælfric Gloss. in Wr.-Wulcker 157 Internasus,..*nosegristle.

  • 1641 Best Farm. Bks. (Surtees) 1 The space betwixt eyebrow and the nose g rissles.

  • 1785 J. Collier Mus. Trav. (ed. 4) 30 The clerk of the parish..has the finest nasality, or *nose-intonation, that ever was given to a psalm-tune.

  • 1922 Joyce Ulysses 168 Sheepsn outs bloodypapered snivelling *nosejam on sawdust.

  • 1862 M. E. Rogers Dom. Life Palestine 381 These *nose-nails are worn by the younger girls, and are very fashionable.

  • 1883 Illustr. Sportin g & Dramatic News 6 Jan. 407/2 He calls it a `*nose net'. It consists of an ordinary bag net, just large enough to encircle the muzzle of a horse... The effect..is to make a horse keep his mouth shut and.. to prevent him pulling.

  • 196 3 E. H. Edwards Saddlery xii. 88 A very simple device is the nose-net... It is put over the nose and fastened fairly tightly to the noseband and will stop the majority of tearaways.

  • 1695 J. Edwards Perfect. Script . 243 So much of this..*nose-ornament.

  • 1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl. II. 875/1 *Nose-peg, a pin or stud attached to the quadrant-arm in a spinning-mule to effect an acceleration of the spindle in forming the cop.

  • 1935 H. H. Finlayson Red Centre xii. 118 The nose-peg..is a hardwood cylinder expanding to a disk at one end and a smaller pointed cone at the other... The young camel is thrown, the cartilage of the left nostril pierced.., and the p eg pushed through the wound.

  • 1966 G. W. Turner Eng. Lang. Austral. & N.Z; iii. 39 Cook noticed the *nose-pins worn by native men.

  • 1971 World Archaeology III. 140 There might be an occasional s tone nose-pin.

  • 1844 H. Stephens Bk. Farm II. 694 The colt..should be led out to walk..by the *nose-rein of the cavesson.

  • 1656 Twa Sisters ix. in Child Ballads I. 126/2 What did h e doe with her *nose-ridge? Unto his violl he made him a bridge.

  • 1572 Huloet, *Nose-tippe, or the ball of the nose.

  • 1927 W. de la Mare Told Again 246 The Fox then brushed himself nose-tip to stern with his brush.

  • 1959 `Motor' Man. (ed. 36) xiii. 270 A caravan with a heavy *nose weight tows more steadily than one without.

  • 1601 Holland Pliny II. Index, *Nose ulcers.

  • 1 597 A. M. tr. Guillemeau's Fr. Chirurg. 29/4 The sixt is the *nose vayne, in the middest of the end of the nose, betweene the two gristles or cartilages.

  b. Objective, or obj. genitive, as

  nose-borernose-borer,

  nose-maker

  -maker,

  nose-mender

  -mender, etc.;

  nose-blowing

  nose-blowing,

  nose-making

  -making,

  nose-painting

  -painting,

  nose-pulling

  -pulling, etc.; also

  nose-pulled

  nose-pulled,

  nose-wring

  nose-wring.

  • 1864 J. S. Le Fanu Uncle Silas I. xxiv. 292 The boisterous *nose-blowing that suddenly resounded from the pass age.

  • 1967 E. A. Gollschewsky in Coast to Coast 1965-6 87 The vehement nose-blowing..that marked her progress from room to room.

  • 1760-2 Goldsm. Cit. W. iii, Your *nose-borers, feet-swathers, tooth- stainers, eyebrow-pluckers.

  • A. 1879 Lawrence in Life (1883) I. 320 The least I could do was to summon the *nose-maker, and let him try his skill.

  • 1829 Gentl. Mag. XCVII. ii. 53 5 Taliacotius has the credit of bringing the art of *nose-making into fashion.

  • 1760 Sterne Tr. Shandy iii. xxxviii, This Ambrose Paræus was chief surgeon and *nose-mender to Francis the Ninth;

  • 1807-8 W. Irving Salmag. (1824) 46 Agreeably painted and mottled by Mr. John Frost, *nose-painter-general.

  • 1605 Shaks. Macb. ii. iii. 31 What three things does Drinke especially prouoke? Marry, Sir, *Nose-painting, Sleepe, and Vrine.

  • 1862 Thackeray Philip xxvii, His old comrade..whom he had insulted and *nose-pulled.

  • 1712 J. Heywood Spect. No. 268 P2 A thing that..rende rs the *Nose-puller odious.

  • 1807-8 W. Irving Salmag. (1824) 229 They should be guaranteed from all dangers of..*nose-pulling, whipping-post, or prosecution for libels.

  • 1682 Otway Venice Pre served iii. (1735) 50 Common Stabbers, *Nose-slitters, Alley-lurking Villains!

  • 1861 Mrs. Lankester Wild Flowers 32 Nasturtium is a name given to all these biting plants; each being a nasus tortus, or *nose-twitcher.

  • 1601 Holland Pliny II. 29 Cresses tooke the name in Latine Nasturtium, a narium tormento, as a man would say, *Nose-wring, because it will make one writh and shrink vp his nosthrils.

  • 1712 Steele Spect. No. 268 P2 One of these *Nose-wringers overhearing him, pinched him by the nose.

  c. Miscellaneous, as

  nose-belled

  nose-belled,

  nose-leafed

  -leafed< /b>;

  nose-grown

  nose-grown,

  nose-high

  -high,

  nose-wards

  -wards, etc.;

  nose-dropping

  nose-dropping.

  • 1646 G. Daniel Poems Wks. (Grosart) I. 60 Let vs ra ther Chuse Long *nose-bell'd Horses, such as Children vse.

  • 1905 J. Joyce Let. 19 Jan. (1966) II. 78 O, blind, snivelling, *nose-dropping, calumniated Christ.

  • 1611 Cotgr. s.v. Avantagé ;, Bien avantagé en nez, nosed with aduantage, well *nose-growne.

  • 1567 Drant Horace Ep. ii. E ij, In hote August a *nosehigh fyer wil do the as much good.

  • 1657 Thornley Daph nis & Chloe 110 About the Cock's crowing, made their fires nose-high.

  • C. 1685 in Dk. Buckhm. Wks. (1705) II. 48 She..made him a fire nose high.

  • 1884 Standard Nat. Hist. V. 173 The Phyllost omines are those *nose-leafed bats which have a long and narrow muzzle, a tongue of moderate length.

  • A. 1661 Holyday Juvenal (1673) 79 He thinks thee *nose-led by his kitchin's smell.

  • 1826 Scott Woods t. viii, I will not be thus nose-led by him.

  • 1885 W. L. Blackley Thrift ii. xx. 108 The members of bad Friendly Societies are nose-led by their interested officials.

  • 1869 Eng. Mech. 3 Dec. 271/2 If by any means they are not drawn `*nosewards'.. they take a short cut and `well' over the eyelid.

  • 1881 Graphic 5 Nov. 474/3 Her chin was drawn up nosewards.

  18. Special com bs.:

  nose-ape

  nose-ape, the proboscis-monkey;

  nose-bridge

  nose-bridge,

  a. = nose sb. 1 d;

  b. Archæol. denoting a type of handle found on pottery of the Copper Age in southern Europe;

  noseburn tree

  noseburn tree, a pungent tropical American tree (Daphnopsis tenuifolia), belonging to the spurge-laurel family (Treas. Bot. 1866);

  nose-candy

  nose-candy U.S. slang, a drug that is inhaled (illegally), spec. cocaine;

  nose-clip

  nose-clip< /BL>, a clip excluding water from the nose of a swimmer or diver;

  nose-compasses

  nose-compasses, eye-glasses;

  nose door

  nose door Aeronaut., a forward-facing door in the nose of an aeroplane;

  nose drive

  nose drive, the positioning of the engines at the front of a space rocket; so

  nose-driven

  nose-driven a.;

  nose drops

  nose drops, a medicament intended to be administered as drops into the nose;

  nose-fish

  nose-fish (see quots.);

  nose-fly

  nose-fly,

  a. (see quot. a 1793);

  < b>b. the bot-fly which infests the nose-passages of sheep (Cent. Dict.);

  nose-fuse

  nose-fuse, a fuse inserted in the nose of a shell;

  nose-glasses

  nose-glasses U.S., eye-glasses held on the nose by a spring;

  nose-gunpowder

  nose-gunpowder, snuff;

  nose hangar

  nose hangar Aeronaut. (see quot. 1960);

  nose-heavy

  nose-heavy a. Aeronaut., having a tendency for the nose to drop relative to the tail; hence

  nose-heaviness

  nose-heaviness;

  nose-herb

  nose-herb , a herb for smelling at;

  nose-hold

  nose-hold, a device to grasp the nose;

  nose-hook

  nose-hook, a hook for leading an ox by the nose-ring;

  nose-horn

  nose-horn, a beetle having a horn on the nose (cf. nasicornous);

  nose job

  nose job colloq. (orig. U.S.), an operation involving rhinoplasty or cosmetic surgery on a person's nose; also fig.;

  nose-leaf

  nose-leaf, the foliaceous appendage of the nostrils in certain bats;

  nose-man

  nose-man (see quot.);

  nose-monkey

  nose-monkey, the probosc is-monkey;

  nose-nippers

  nose-nippers pl. = pince-nez;

  nose-paint

  nose-paint slang, intoxicating liquor; also, a reddening of the nose ascribed to habitual drinking (cf. nose-painter, -painting s.v. nose sb. 17 b);

  nose paste

  nose paste = nose putty below;

  nose-pinch

  nose-pinch, a pince-nez;

  nose print

  nose print, a drawing of the facial characteristics of an animal, used as a means of identification; so

  nose-print ing

  nose-printing vbl. sb.;

  nose putty

  nose putty, a putty-like substance used in the theatre for altering the shape of the nose, etc.;

  nose-rag

  nose-rag, a p ocket-handkerchief (slang);

  nose-ride

  nose-ride v. intr., to stand on the nose (cf. nose sb. 13) of a surfboard (usu. as vbl. sb.);

  nose-riders

  nose-riders pl., spectacles;

  nose suspension

  nose suspension, a method of supporting a traction motor from the framework of the bogie or vehicle at one end and on an ax le at the other (cf. sense 14 e); so

  nose-suspended

  nose-suspended a.;

  nose-tent

  nose-tent, a medicinal plug for insertion in the nose;

  nose-thumbing

  nose-thumbing vbl. sb., the action of thumbing one's nose (nose sb. 8 f); an instance of such behaviour; so (as a back-formation)

  nose-thumb

  nose-thumb < tt>sb.;

  nose-to-tail

  nose-to-tail adv. and a., (of motor vehicles) travelling, or placed, behind one another and very close together;

  nose-trick

  nose-trick, the inadvertent inhalation or expulsion of liquid through the nose when drinking;

  nose-tube

  nose-tube, a tube used for feeding a patient through the nose;

  nose wheel

  nose wheel Aeronaut., a wheel under the nose of an aircraft;

  nose-wipe

  nose-wipe v., to cheat, deceive (cf. 10 b); sb. = nose-wiper;

  nose-wiper

  nose-wiper, a pocket-ha ndkerchief (slang);

  nose-worm

  nose-worm, the larva of the sheep-bot.

  • 1923 A. Huxley Antic Hay x. 156 Shell rims with gold ear-pieces and gold *nose-bridge.

  • 1939 V. G. Childe Dawn Europ. Civilization (ed. 3) xiv. 245 In the pottery [of Sardinia before the nuragic age] we might distinguish:..carinated cups and other vessels with nose-bridge handles, which persist into the nuragic age.

  • 1935 A. J. Pollock Underworld Speaks 81/1 *Nose candy, cocaine.

  • 1935 C. F. Coe G-Man ii. 25 I'll lay off the booze an' you lay off the organizin', the nose-candy and the stick-ups.

  • 1960 Tim e 25 Jan. 88/2 Cocaine..is put into crystalline form. This enables users to sniff it (`nose candy').

  • 1974 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 28 Sept. 33/4 The movie omitted the morphine and left the cocaine because nose candy is the t rendy drug.

  • 1959 Elizabethan Apr. 9/2 Following the orders of the sergeant I had..fitted the *nose clip in place [on an under-water breathing apparatus].

  • 1971 A. Diment Think Inc. vii. 123, I bit on the rubber mouth-piece, put on the nose-clip and flipped down my face mask.

  • 1654 Gayton Pleas. Notes i. v. 17 She read without Spectacles, and could..see lost pins without the help of a paire of *Nose-compass es.

  • 1960 *Nose door [see beaver-tail s.v. beaver1 6].

  • 1969 Jane's Freight Containers 1968-69 454/1 Loading is via a vizor-type, straig ht-in, nose-door with full-width integral ramps.

  • 1937 Discovery Sept. 270/2 First he [sc. Goddard] directed his attention to the so-called `*nose-drive' construction.

  • 1947 W. Ley Rockets & Space Travel (1948) v. 134 The gases were to be ejected through a system of nozzles at the top of the rocket; the nozzles were to pull the rocket upward, instead of pushing it upward as planned in the original Oberth Rocket... This system, known as ` nose drive'.., offered a great number of advantages. The rocket did not have to be constructed as sturdily nor did it require an elaborate steering mechanism.

  • 1952 E. Burgess Rocket Propulsion v. 131 It has been stated that *nose-driven rockets..are inherently more stable than those in which the motor is situated at the extreme rear. This is another common fallacy, for providing the thrust line of the motor passes through the centre of gravity of the rocket, the actual position of the motor cannot affect stability.

  • 1942 T. Sollmann Man. Pharmacol. (ed. 6) 165 `*Nose drops', i.e., solutions in liquid petrolatum for instillation into the nares, should not contain more than 1 per cent of eucalyptol or camphor.

  • 1970 Women's Household July 12/1 When he needed nose drops badly he would come over to one of us and stick up his nose.

  • 1828-32 Webster, *Nose-Fish,..a fish of the l eather-mouthed kind, with a broad flat snout; called also broad-snout.

  • 1890 Cent. Dict., Nose-fish, the bat-fish, Malthe vespertilio.

  • A. 1793 G. White Selborne (1837) 472 A sp ecies of fly..which proves very tormenting to horses, trying still to enter their nostrils and ears... Country people call this insect the *nose fly.

  • 1839 Holloway Prov. Dict., Nose-fly, a very fine, delicately made fly, whi ch gets into horses' noses, and stinging them, frequently causes them to run away.

  • 1888 Times 2 Oct. 3/2 The shape of the heads [of shells] which were suitable only for a *nose fuse.

  • 1890 C ent. Dict. V. 4020/2 *Nose glasses.

  • 1901 Ade Forty Mod. Fables 22 He said `Whom,' and wore Nose Glasses.

  • 1929 D. Runyon in Hearst's International Oct. 64/1 To look at Judge Henry G. Blake, with his..nose glasses.

  • 1971 Lebende Sprachen XVI. 11/2 US nose glasses-BE/US pince-nez.

  • 1706 Baynard in Floyer Cold Baths ii. 197 A charge of *Nose Gun-Powder, Snuff 'twixt Finger and Thumb.

  • 1948 Jrnl. R. Aeronaut. Soc. LII. 573 In the civil field the `*nose hangar', such as that used successfully by KLM for the Constellation last winter, is a realistic effort to provide shelter where it is needed, instead of enclosi ng space at random.

  • 1960 G. Blanchet Search in North v. 66 Nose hangars were built-sheds in which the front of a plane could be sheltered and work done on its engines.

  • 1970 R. & J; Paterson Cranberry Portage xiv. 87 A great deal of time was spent warming aircraft engines with roaring fire-pots inside the canvas nose-hangars.

  • 1919 A. Klemin Text-bk. Aeronaut. Engin. xv. 178 The down stream from the propellers..is said to increase the safety from the point of view of longitudinal balance, giving tail heaviness with power, and *nose heaviness without power.

  • 1930 R. Duncan Stunt Flying iii. 26 Nose-heaviness, or tail-heaviness, can be corrected by ad justing the horizontal stabilizer.

  • 1959 Times 8 Sept. 13/6 There is no feeling of nose-heaviness, and the steering does not have any tricks on corners.

  • 1914 S. L. Walkden How to understand Aeroplanes< /i> ii. 5 This `front-heavy,' or `*nose-heavy' machine..is devoid of a self-righting effect.

  • 1917 Flying I. 217/1 A stable aeroplane has its centre of gravity well forward, and normally the centre of pressure is behind the centre of gravity. Without a fixed tail plane it would therefore be nose heavy.

  • 1945 R. von Mises Theory of Flight xvii. 501 If the state of motion changes or the loads are shifted, the airplane will become slightly nose- or tail-heavy so that the pilot has to operate the elevator.

  • 1601 Shaks. All's Well iv. v. 20 They are not [salad] hearbes you knaue, they are *nose-hearbes.

  • 1797 Monthly Mag. XLVI. 215 Prej udice is the *nose-hold for certain purposes, of the otherwise intractable.

  • 1778 [W. Marshall] Minutes Agric. 4 Aug. 1775 Hoed the late-planted cabbages with one ox and the *nose-hook.

  • 1658 R owland tr. Moufet's Theat. Ins. 1008 We have seen four kindes of *Nose-horns, the chiefest and greatest of all lives in India, it is very black, it hath a nose on its face crooked horn'd like to the stern of a ship.

  • 1963 T. Pynchon V iv. 95 Chapter four. In which Esther gets a *nose job.

  • 1978 Detroit Free Press 16 Apr. (Detroit Suppl.) 11/1 Cosmetic plastic surgery..will cost you about $1,000 for a nose job;..$1,000 for an eye lift [etc.].

  • 1979 Observer 11 Feb. 33/2 A hammer-wielding Australian..had given the Madonna a nose-job.

  • 1984 Which? Aug. 346/3 It was what the trade calls a `nose job' with the fashionable aim of smoothing the passage o f the car through the air.

  • 1837 Penny Cycl. VII. 22/1 *Nose-leaf simple, solitary.

  • 1864 H. Allen Bats N. Amer. Introd. 15 There is some doubt whether the nose leaves hold the same relation to the olfactory sense.

  • 1599 H. Buttes Dyets Drie Dinner P 3 b, Plinies *Nosemen (mouthles men) surnam'd, Whose breathing nose supply'd Mouths absency.

  • 1883 Cassell's Nat. Hist. I. 88 The newl y born *Nose Monkey is a most extraordinary object.

  • 1895 J. Davidson Old Aberdeenshire Ministers 26 The Aberdeen Journal, which he read aloud..in a loud monotone, nasalised by the light grip of a large pair of *no se-nippers worn low.

  • 1900 Conrad Lord Jim v. 40 He saw the old man lift his head from some writing so sharp that his nose-nippers fell off.

  • A. 1913 F. Rolfe Desire & Pursuit of Whole (1934) vii. 61 Smirk ing female with the thinnest of pinched lips and nose-nippers.

  • 1880 A. A. Hayes New Colorado (1881) xi. 158 We saw..a sign, in which a name which I have never encountered elsewhere was given to stimulating beverages. Th is sign was `*Nose-paint and Lunch'.

  • 1901 F. E. Taylor Folk-Speech S. Lancs., Nose-paint, a jocular term for alcoholic drink.

  • 1922 Joyce Ulysses 615 A strong suspicion of nosepaint about the nasal appendage.

  • 1968 Amer. Speech XLIII. 303 He [sc. the cowman] drinks..nose paint instead of `whiskey'.

  • 1951 N. Marsh Opening Night vii. 156 One cardboard box containing fals e hair, rouge, substance labelled `*nose paste'.

  • 1961 Bowman & Ball Theatre Lang. 233 Nose paste, a plastic substance used to alter the appearance of an actor's nose, chin, etc.

  • 1896 Punch< /i> 4 Apr. 160/2 The tall, meagre females..in abbreviated hair and a *nose-pinch.

  • 1939 Sun (Baltimore) 15 Sept. 15/2 The `*nose print' of a dog is as distinctive as the finger print of a human being.

  • 1952 Sun 8 Dec. 10/4 Three dairy scientists of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at Brookings, S.D., have worked out a system of nose prints by means of which it is possible to identify one individual cow from a million others.

    1970 B. Knox Children of Mist iii. 56 Sometimes breeders..try to work a switch of animal. So we keep one nose-print on file in special cases..ready for comparison.

  • 1973 Times 26 Nov. 17/5 Four investigators followe d the trail of the animals, to establish `contact' with them and where possible, to draw `noseprints'-simple drawings of nostril shape and facial wrinkles-to identify the particular animals and their approximate stages of development.

  • 1939 Sun (Baltimore) 15 Sept. 15/2 A plan for nation-wide identification of dogs by `*nose printing' to eliminate `dognapping'.

  • 1960 A. Christie Adventure of Xmas Pudding 223 Why did I feel..I was talking to..an acto r playing a part!.. What did I see..the beaked nose (faked with that useful substance, *nose putty), [etc.].

  • 1969 K. Vonnegut Slaughterhouse-Five v. 88 Rosewater was a big man, but not very powerful. He looked as though he might b e made out of nose putty.

  • 1838 Haliburton Clockm. (1862) 367 Tickle, tickle goes my boscis agin, and I had to stop to sarch my pocket for my *nose-rag.

  • 1965 Farrelly & McGregor This Sur fing Life 138 *Nose-ride, to ride on the nose of the surfboard.

  • 1875 E. H. Dering Sherborne II. xviii. 53 Sir Thomas..put on a pair of those glasses which are popularly known as *nose-riders.

  • 1962 Austral. Women's Weekly Suppl. 24 Oct. 3/3 *Nose-riding, standing right at front of the board while riding a wave.

  • 1971 Studies in English (Univ. Cape Town) Feb. 25 Until the end of the nose-riding era , the run of Cape Town surfers identified with the Californian scene as portrayed in Surfer.

  • 1927 R. E. Dickinson Electric Trains vi. 111 Fig. 48 shows a bogie with two *nose-suspended motors in place.

  • < b>1948 D. W. & M; Hinde Electric & Diesel-Electric Locomotives ii. 25 During the past few years, however, nose-suspended motors mounted on bogies have become standard practice on all American diesel-electric locomotives.

    < p>

  • 1894 K. Hedges Amer. Electr. Street Railways vii. 75 In the case of the G.E. 800 type when the side suspension is used, the whole of the weight is taken off the axle, whereas by the older method half the weight only was on the cross ba r, resting on springs, and the remainder on the axle. One method is known as the End or *Nose Suspension, the other as the Side Bar Suspension.

  • 1927 R. E. Dickinson Electric Trains vi. 111 For multiple unit trains the nose suspens ion is practically universal.

  • 1948 D. W. & M; Hinde Electric & Diesel-Electric Locomotives ii. 24 Where hammer-blow on the track and axle-loading are not limiting factors and provided that there is one motor per driven axle , nose-suspension is the simplest form of drive obtainable.

  • 1601 Holland Pliny II. 61 Cumin reduced into the form of trochisks or *nose-tents, put vp into the nosthrils, stancheth bloud.

  • 1963 Guardian 11 Feb. 2/6 Their medical officer of health..is leaving his post because of the council's continued *nose-thumb at the Clean Air Act.

  • 1959 I. & P; Opie Lore & Lang. Schoolch; xiv. 317 That peculia r form of recognition variously known as `the five-finger salute', `*nose thumbing',..`cocking a snook', or `taking a sight' used, thirty years ago, to be demonstrated by every child in the country.

  • 1970 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 26 Sept. 23/5 A nose-thumbing gesture comes as a blessed relief in a movie so painfully earnest.

  • 1959 Manch. Guardian 20 July 2/5 Four L-drivers *nose to tail on a busy road.

  • 1960 Guardian 7 June 6/1 The accustomed queues of nose-to-tail traffic on main roads.

  • 1963 Times 11 June 5/4 Yet above the garage cars sit nose-to-tail on free space within the park, and scour Mayfair for vacant meters.

  • 1974 C. Fremlin By Horror Haunted 48 The nose-to-tail crawl along the motorway.

  • 1954 P. Frankau Wreath for Enemy ii. i. 58 It was the `Prendergast' that made me do what is vulgarly called the *nose-trick with my lemonad e.

  • 1972 P. Dickinson Lizard in Cup ix. 132 Pibble almost did the nose-trick with the dung-smelling local brandy.

  • 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VIII. 300, I..feed the patient by the *nose-tube if she c annot be got to take enough nourishment otherwise.

  • 1934 Flight 6 Dec. 1301 A castor *nose wheel allows the fullest use to be made of the wheel brakes of the Hammond Model Y.

  • 1940 Illustr. London News< /i> CXCVII. 315 (caption) The `Boston' has..an undercarriage of the tricycle type-two rear wheels retracting into the rear of the engine nacelles and the nosewheel retracting rearwards and upwards into the fuselage.

  • 1974 Daily T el. 5 Oct. 1 A Belgian airliner..pitched on to its nose on the main runway at Southend airport when the nosewheel collapsed shortly before takeoff.

  • 1919 W. Deeping Second Youth ii. 13 Yer dirty little wretch yer; ain 't yer got a *nose-wipe?

  • 1628 H. Burton Israel's Fast Ded. 13 Cheated and *nosewiped euen to their face.

  • A. 1895 Ld. C. E. Paget Autobiog. (1896) i. 4 Charged with my relay of *nose-wipe rs, I was close to his Majesty on the steps of the throne.

  • 1861 Hulme tr. Moquin-Tandon ii. vii. i. 326 The oestrus of the sheep.., called by Reaumur `Fly of the *Nose-worm'.