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to nose

to nose

1 7.6
To beat someone by a very small margin
  • verb
  • /noʊz/
  • Informal
: 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.