Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Nose?

\Nose\, n. [AS. nosu; akin to D. neus, G. nase, OHG. nasa, Icel. n["o]s, Sw. n["a]sa, Dan. n["a]se, Lith. nosis, Russ. nos', L. nasus, nares, Skr. n[=a]s[=a], n[=a]s. ? Cf. {Nasal}, {Nasturtium}, {Naze}, {Nostril}, {Nozzle}.] 1. (Anat.) The prominent part of the face or anterior extremity of the head containing the nostrils and olfactory cavities; the olfactory organ. See {Nostril}, and {Olfactory organ} under {Olfactory}. 2. The power of smelling; hence, scent. We are not offended with a dog for a better nose than his master. --Collier. 3. A projecting end or beak at the front of an object; a snout; a nozzle; a spout; as, the nose of a bellows; the nose of a teakettle. {Nose bit} (Carp.), a bit similar to a gouge bit, but having a cutting edge on one side of its boring end. {Nose hammer} (Mach.), a frontal hammer. {Nose hole} (Glass Making), a small opening in a furnace, before which a globe of crown glass is held and kept soft at the beginning of the flattening process. {Nose key} (Carp.), a fox wedge. {Nose leaf} (Zo["o]l.), a thin, broad, membranous fold of skin on the nose of many species of bats. It varies greatly in size and form. {Nose of wax}, fig., a person who is pliant and easily influenced. ``A nose of wax to be turned every way.'' --Massinger {Nose piece}, the nozzle of a pipe, hose, bellows, etc.; the end piece of a microscope body, to which an objective is attached. {To hold}, {put}, or {bring one's nose to the grindstone}. See under {Grindstone}. {To lead by the nose}, to lead at pleasure, or to cause to follow submissively; to lead blindly, as a person leads a beast. --Shak. {To put one's nose out of joint}, to humiliate one's pride, esp. by supplanting one in the affections of another. [Slang] {To thrust one's nose into}, to meddle officiously in. {To wipe one's nose of}, to deprive of; to rob. [Slang]
\Nose\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Nosed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Nosing}.] 1. To smell; to scent; hence, to track, or trace out. 2. To touch with the nose; to push the nose into or against; hence, to interfere with; to treat insolently. Lambs . . . nosing the mother's udder. --Tennyson. A sort of national convention, dubious in its nature . . . nosed Parliament in the very seat of its authority. --Burke. 3. To utter in a nasal manner; to pronounce with a nasal twang; as, to nose a prayer. [R.] --Cowley.
\Nose\ (n[=o]z), v. i. 1. To smell; to sniff; to scent. --Audubon. 2. To pry officiously into what does not concern one.
\Nose\, v. t. 1. To confront; be closely face to face or opposite to; meet. 2. To furnish with a nose; as, to nose a stair tread. 3. To examine with the nose or sense of smell. 4. To make by advancing the nose or front end; as, the train nosed its way into the statio; (Racing Slang) to beat by (the length of) a nose.
\Nose\, v. i. To push or move with the nose or front forward. A train of cable cars came nosing along. --Hamlin Garland.