Nose Idioms with meanings and examples
Sure! Here are 50 nose idioms with their meanings and example:
A nose for something
Meaning: An ability to detect or identify something.
Example: She has a nose for good investments and always knows where to put her money.
All over someone like a cheap suit
Meaning: To be very close or attached to someone.
Example: He’s been all over her like a cheap suit since they started dating.
Be born with a silver spoon in one’s mouth
Meaning: To be born into a wealthy and privileged family.
Example: He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and has never had to work for anything.
Be full of hot air
Meaning: To talk a lot but not say anything of substance.
Example: The politician’s speech was full of hot air and didn’t address any of the real issues.
Be nose to the grindstone
Meaning: To work very hard and persistently.
Example: She’s been keeping her nose to the grindstone to finish her dissertation on time.
Be up to one’s nose in something
Meaning: To be overwhelmed or swamped with work or problems.
Example: She’s been up to her nose in work since the new project started.
Make one’s nose bleed
Meaning: To be so difficult or confusing that it causes someone to feel overwhelmed or frustrated.
Example: The math problem was so complex that it made my nose bleed.
Big nose
Meaning: A person who is nosy or intrusive.
Example: My neighbor is a big nose who always wants to know what’s going on in my life.
Blow one’s nose
Meaning: To blow air out of the nose to clear it of mucus.
Example: She had a cold and had to blow her nose constantly.
Brown nose
Meaning: To try to gain favor with someone in a subservient or obsequious manner.
Example: He’s always brown-nosing the boss to try to get a promotion.
By the skin of one’s teeth
Meaning: To just barely succeed or survive.
Example: She passed the exam by the skin of her teeth.
Cut off one’s nose to spite one’s face
Meaning: To harm oneself in an attempt to harm someone else.
Example: She refused to go to the party just to spite her ex-boyfriend, even though she really wanted to go. She cut off her nose to spite her face.
Dripping nose
Meaning: A nose that is running due to a cold or allergies.
Example: Her dripping nose was a clear sign that she had caught a cold.
Egg on one’s face
Meaning: To be embarrassed or ashamed.
Example: He had egg on his face when he realized he had made a mistake during his presentation.
Follow one’s nose
Meaning: To go in a particular direction without a specific plan or instructions.
Example: We didn’t have a map, so we just followed our noses until we found the restaurant.
Get up someone’s nose
Meaning: To annoy or irritate someone.
Example: Her constant complaining was getting up my nose.
Go over someone’s head
Meaning: To bypass someone in authority and appeal to a higher authority.
Example: She went over her boss’s head to complain to the CEO about the company’s policies.
Keep one’s nose clean
Meaning: To behave well and avoid trouble.
Example: He promised to keep his nose clean after he got out of jail.
Keep one’s nose to the grindstone
Meaning: To work hard and persistently.
Example: If you want to succeed in this business, you have to keep your nose to the grindstone and never give up.
Lead someone by the nose
Meaning: To control or manipulate someone.
Example: He was led by the nose by his manipulative girlfriend.
Look down one’s nose at
Meaning: To regard someone or something as inferior.
Example: She looked down her nose at anyone who didn’t have a college degree.
Nose out of joint
Meaning: To be upset or offended about something.
Example: She was really upset when she found out she didn’t get the promotion and got her nose out of joint.
Nose around
Meaning: To snoop or pry into someone’s affairs.
Example: I caught my roommate nosing around in my diary.
Nose dive
Meaning: A sudden and steep decline or failure.
Example: The company’s profits took a nose dive after the scandal.
Nose out
Meaning: To discover something through intuition or investigation.
Example: She nosed out the secret recipe for her grandmother’s famous cake.
Nose-to-nose
Meaning: In close confrontation or face-to-face.
Example: The two boxers were nose-to-nose before the match.
On the nose
Meaning: Exactly correct or precise.
Example: Her prediction was right on the nose.
Pay through the nose
Meaning: To pay a lot of money for something.
Example: He had to pay through the nose for the last-minute flight.
Pick someone’s nose
Meaning: To bother or annoy someone.
Example: Stop picking my nose and let me work in peace.
Poke one’s nose in
Meaning: To interfere in someone’s affairs or business.
Example: She always pokes her nose in and tries to control everything.
Powder one’s nose
Meaning: To go to the restroom to freshen up or apply makeup.
Example: She excused herself to powder her nose before the meeting.
Put someone’s nose out of joint
Meaning: To upset or offend someone.
Example: She put her friend’s nose out of joint when she forgot her birthday.
Put one’s nose to the grindstone
Meaning: To work hard and diligently.
Example: He put his nose to the grindstone to finish the project before the deadline.
Red nose
Meaning: A sign of alcoholism or excessive drinking.
Example: He had a red nose from years of heavy drinking.
Rub someone’s nose in it
Meaning: To humiliate or remind someone of their mistake or failure.
Example: He rubbed her nose in it by constantly reminding her of her failed business.
Run nose-to-tail
Meaning: In a straight line, one after another.
Example: The cars were running nose-to-tail on the highway during the rush hour.
Sniff out
Meaning: To detect or discover something through smell or investigation.
Example: The dog sniffed out the drugs hidden in the suitcase.
Stick one’s nose in
Meaning: To interfere or meddle in someone’s affairs.
Example: I wish she wouldn’t stick her nose in and let us handle our own problems.
Stuck up one’s nose
Meaning: To reject or disdain something.
Example: She stuck up her nose at the cheap wine and insisted on ordering an expensive bottle.
Thumb one’s nose at
Meaning: To show disrespect or disregard for something or someone.
Example: He thumbed his nose at the traffic laws and drove recklessly.
Turn one’s nose up
Meaning: To reject or disdain something.
Example: She turned her nose up at the job offer because it didn’t pay enough.
Up one’s nose
Meaning: Annoying or offensive.
Example: His constant whistling was really getting up my nose.
Wipe someone’s nose
Meaning: To help or assist someone, especially when they are in trouble.
Example: He wiped his friend’s nose and lent him some money when he was in a tight spot.
With one’s nose in the air
Meaning: To act arrogant or conceited.
Example: She walked into the party with her nose in the air, acting like she was better than everyone else.
Have one’s nose in a book
Meaning: To be absorbed in reading.
Example: Whenever she has free time, she has her nose in a book.
Hold one’s nose
Meaning: To tolerate something unpleasant.
Example: He held his nose and drank the foul-tasting medicine.
It’s No Skin off My (Your) Nose (Back)
Meaning: The outcome will not affect me personally.
Example: I don’t really care if Jean’s project fails. I’m in a different department, so it’s no skin off my nose.
Right Under One’s Nose
Meaning: In an obvious location, yet overlooked
Example: I looked all over for my keys, and they were right under my nose, in the center of my desk.
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