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to nose

to nose

1 7.6
To beat someone by a very small margin
  • verb
  • /noʊz/
  • Informal
translation icon : ganar por la mínima
  • I nosed out Fred by six votes.
  • nosed ahead

Examples

  • Casimir doubled the thunderous rhythm of his paws and nosed past Lukas.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Taxis vied for inches of space, nosing themselves into impossibly small channels between buses and delivery trucks.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • In the final lap, she managed to nose out her competitor by a fraction of a second.

  • He was determined to nose ahead of the other candidates in the election.

  • After a tough debate, the senator managed to nose out his opponent by just a few points.

Synonyms

to pip
vsto nose
  • Literature
8.2

To beat someone by a very small margin

is the same meaning but uses a slightly longer, more standard form

Antonyms

1.0

Fail to win a game or contest

To not keep up with others or a schedule

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

Phrasal Verbs

to brown-nose
  • Offensive
4 8.2

To flatter someone in power without meaning it to get their favor

To move the nose so it makes small lines to show you do not like something

1 7.3

To try to take part in other people's business without being asked

To get involved in other people's business without being asked

1 8.0

To get involved in other people's business when not wanted

to nose out
  • Informal
1 6.9

Find something after careful searching

5.3

To put a finger in your nose to remove mucus

To make a person's nose feel slightly itchy so they want to sneeze

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 Close

to nose
  • Informal
1 7.6
edge
310 3.8
to beat
1.4
to trounce
14 7.5

Surface Forms

nose infinitive
nosed past
nosed past participle
nosing present participle
noses third person singular

Etymology

To nose someone in a race means to beat them by the forward part, like a head or nose crossing first, from the same old root nosu. That's why to nose an opponent means to win by a very small margin.