■ noun
1》 the part projecting above the mouth on the face of a person or animal, containing the nostrils and used in breathing and smelling.
2》 a person's or animal's sense of smell.
↘the aroma of a particular substance, especially wine.
↘an instinctive talent for detecting something: he has a ~ for a good script.
3》 the front end of an aircraft, car, or other vehicle.
↘a projecting participle
4》 an act of looking around or prying: she wanted a good ~ round the house.
5》 informal a police informer.
■ verb
1》 (of an animal) thrust its ~ against or into something.
↘smell or sniff (something).
2》 look around or pry into something.
3》 make one's way slowly ahead, especially in a vehicle.
Phrases
by a ~ (of a victory) by a very narrow margin.
cut off one's ~ to spite one's face disadvantage oneself through a wilful attempt to gain an advantage or assert oneself.
get up someone's ~ Brit. informal irritate or annoy someone.
give someone a bloody ~ inflict a resounding defeat on someone.
keep one's ~ clean informal stay out of trouble.
keep one's ~ out of refrain from interfering in.
~ to tail Brit. (of vehicles) moving or standing close behind one another.
not see further than one's (or the end of one's ) ~ fail to consider different possibilities or to foresee consequences.
on the ~
1》 to a person's sense of smell.
2》 informal (of a bet) on a horse to win (as opposed to being placed).
3》 informal, chiefly N. Amer. precisely.
4》 Austral./NZ informal distasteful; offensive.
put someone's ~ out of joint informal offend someone or hurt their pride.
turn one's ~ up at informal show distaste or contempt for.
under someone's ~ informal directly in front of someone.
with one's ~ in the air haughtily.
Derivatives
-~d adjective
~less adjective
Origin
OE nosu , of W. Gmc origin.