nose

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a front that resembles a human nose (especially the front of an aircraft)

   the nose of the rocket heated up on reentry

2. 2
   noun

   the front or forward projection of a tool or weapon

   I ducked under the nose of the gun.

3. 3
   noun

   a natural skill at detecting something

   They had a nose for good deals.

4. 4
   noun

   the sense of smell (especially in animals)

   the hound has a good nose

5. 5
   noun

   a symbol of inquisitiveness

   keep your nose out of it

6. 6
   noun

   a small distance

   my horse lost the race by a nose

7. 7
   verb

   advance the forward part of with caution

   They nosed their car into the left lane.

8. 8
   noun

   A protuberance on the face housing the nostrils, which are used to breathe or smell.

   She had a small nose between two sparkling blue eyes.

Etymology

From Middle English nose, from Old English nosu, from Proto-West Germanic *nosu, variant of *nasō, old dual from Proto-Indo-European *néh₂s- ~ *nh₂es- (“nose, nostril”). See also Saterland Frisian Noose, West Frisian noas, Dutch neus, Swedish nos, Norwegian nos (“snout”), Low German Nääs, German Nase, Swedish näsa, Norwegian nese, Danish næse (“nose”); also Latin nāris (“nostril”), nāsus (“nose”), Lithuanian nósis, Russian нос (nos), Sanskrit नासा (nā́sā, “nostrils”).