Word: Nose

Pronunciation

/NOHZ/

Definitions

• Noun: The organ on the face of humans and animals that is used for breathing, smelling, and (in some animals) feeding. For example: “She has a small, straight nose.”
  • Also used metaphorically: “He stuck his nose into other people’s business.”
• Verb: To search or locate something using one’s sense of smell. For example: “The dog nosed around for a bone.”
  • Also used figuratively: “She nosed through the bookshelves for her favorite novel.”

Phrases

• “To have a nose for something” means to have a natural ability or instinct to detect or identify something. For example: “She has a real nose for news.”
• “Blow one’s nose” refers to the act of clearing mucus from the nasal passages. Example: “He blew his nose into a tissue.”
• “Cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face” is an idiom meaning to harm oneself in an attempt to harm another person. Example: “Refusing to attend the meeting just because you dislike the organizer would be cutting off your nose to spite your face.”

Example Sentences

• Noun: “The child wiped the snot from under his nose with the back of his hand.”
• Verb: “The detective nosed around the crime scene for clues.”

Synonyms

• Snout (for animals)
• Nasal organ
• Olfactory organ
• Proboscis (for certain animals like elephants)
• Sense (when used as a verb, meaning to detect by smell)

Note about Verb Synonyms:

When used as a verb, “nose” doesn’t have direct synonyms that convey both the act of smelling and searching; however, depending on context, verbs like “sniff”, “smell”, or “detect” could be considered related.