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nose

nose

14 5.6
A very small distance that decides who wins a race
  • noun
  • /noʊz/
  • Informal
translation icon : por un pelo
  • I managed to win the race by a nose, barely edging out my rival.
  • win by a nose
  • ahead by a nose
  • victory by a nose

So David Gold Hill wins the Tootsie Roll, the nose had it.

Examples

  • Uncaptured made an early debut in mid-May, getting home first by a nose in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden.

    Blog text (7)
  • Won by a nose did Gypsy Rose.

  • And Blue Note wins it by a nose!

  • It was a tight race but I won by a nose.

  • The jockey on the other horse misjudged the finish line, and we won by a nose.

    Blog text (18)
  • The horse crossed the finish line first, winning by a nose over the competition.

  • She lost the game by a nose, making it one of the closest matches ever.

Synonyms

narrow margin
vsnose
6 3.6

A very small difference between two amounts or scores

is the small race winning distance more physical and immediate than numerical gaps
hair's breadth
vsnose
  • Informal
3 5.6

A very small distance or amount

is the tiny race winning distance rather than the general tiny measure
hairbreadth
vsnose
  • Informal
1 6.3

A very small distance in a close call

is specifically the tiny winning distance in races rather than any close call

Antonyms

to landslide
  • Literature
1 4.3

To win an election or contest by a very large number of votes

Idioms

on the nose
  • Informal
15 5.9

Exactly correct in every detail

11 6.8

To avoid trouble and not attract bad attention

8 9.2

To show open disrespect by refusing to follow rules or customs

7 8.2

To go to the restroom to fix makeup or hair as a polite excuse

by a nose
  • Informal
5 4.9

To win with a very small lead in a race or contest

4 8.0

Give much more money than normal for something

3 6.3

To work hard for a long time without stopping

3 7.7

Make someone do what you want without them noticing

To show you think something is not good enough

To work hard for a long time on a difficult task without stopping

Deliberately do something that hurts you more than the person you want to punish

1 9.2

Feeling annoyed because someone ignored you or treated you badly

1 6.4

Happens very near someone when they do not notice

It does not bother me if something happens

7.5

To do something unpleasant because it is necessary

A phrase people say to make fun of someone who brags

To think about things beyond your own immediate needs

the nose knows
  • Informal
9.8

To trust a feeling that something is wrong

Compounds

nose job
  • Informal
31 4.6

An operation to change the shape of the nose to make it look better

14 4.1

A nose injury that makes blood come out or a small defeat for someone

11 3.8

A small metal piece worn through the nose for decoration or to control an animal

nose cone
  • Specialized
2 6.5

The pointed front part of a rocket, missile, or plane that protects important parts and reduces air resistance during flight

nose candy
  • NSFW
2 9.9

An illegal white drug that people inhale through the nose

1 7.5

A nose with a high, slightly curved bridge that gives a strong profile

1 5.3

A sudden steep fall that often happens to a plane with its front pointing down or to prices

camel's nose
  • Informal
1 9.9

A small first step that leads to bigger unwanted demands

1 5.1

A short, flat nose with the tip turned up

A doctor who treats problems of the ear, nose, and throat

1 6.7

A nose curved downward like a hawk's beak

1 9.5

A small flute played by blowing air through the nose

nose-pick
  • Offensive
1 8.6

Putting a finger inside your nose or a person who does this

round-nose
  • Specialized
1 4.9

Pliers with smooth rounded jaws used to bend wire and make loops

round-nose
  • Specialized
1 6.0

A bullet with a rounded tip that is less likely to go through things

1 9.6

A fatty tail end of a cooked chicken or turkey that many people like to eat

toffee-nose
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who thinks they are better than others

A large red nose with visible small blood vessels often caused by heavy drinking

bull nose
  • Specialized
9.9

A pig disease causing swelling and redness of the nose

A red, swollen nose with small broken veins, often from heavy drinking

hammer nose
  • Specialized
9.9

An enlarged red nose with visible blood vessels that often comes from heavy drinking

5.1

A very strong sense of smell that notices faint scents

4.1

A quick check of how many people are present to see attendance or support

nose drops
  • NSFW
9.9

A street name for the illegal drug heroin

nose test
  • Informal
6.1

To use smell or instinct to check if something seems right

Having a rounded end often found on tools like scissors

rum nose
  • Archaic
9.9

A red, swollen nose with small red veins, often linked to heavy drinking

9.9

The fatty tail of a cooked bird like a chicken or turkey

potato nose
  • Informal
9.9

A large red round nose with small red lines from blood vessels

toper's nose
  • Archaic
9.9

A nose that becomes large and red with visible veins from long heavy drinking

How Narrow

nose
  • Informal
14 5.6
comfortable
8 3.4

Surface Forms

nose singular
noses plural

Etymology

Because the nose is the very front point of the head (from old nosu), people use it to show a tiny difference in a race. That is why winning 'by a nose' means winning by a very small distance.