nose
/nəʊz/ (bre, ipa) · /nəʊz/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈnōz/ (ame, mw) · /noʊz/ (ame, ipa)
nose — noun
- nosesingular
- nosesplural
1. the part of your face above your mouth that you use for breathing and for smelli
the part of your face above your mouth that you use for breathing and for smelling things
Mateo has a small nose and big brown eyes.
The doctor asked Niran to breathe slowly through his nose.
collocation: breathe through your nose
Yuki's nose started to run when she caught a cold last week.
Hannah held her nose tightly before jumping into the cold pool.
The smell of fresh bread filled Hugo's nose as he walked past the bakery.
文法句型
possessive + nose
the + nose + of + person
用法筆記
Common in expressions about health (a runny nose, a stuffy nose, a blocked nose) and physical actions (blow your nose, wipe your nose, pick your nose). Many compound adjectives use this sense: red-nosed, long-nosed, snub-nosed.
常見錯誤
2. the particular smell that a wine has, which wine experts use to judge its qualit
the particular smell that a wine has, which wine experts use to judge its quality and character
Eleni described the wine's nose as fruity with hints of oak and vanilla.
wine terminology: the nose of a wine
This red wine has a strong nose of blackberries and dark cherries.
pattern: have a + adjective + nose of + flavour
Salma could tell the wine was old from its rich, complex nose.
Ayesha learned to recognise the nose of a good Bordeaux during her trip to France.
文法句型
the + nose + of + wine
wine/red + has + a + adjective + nose
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively in the context of wine tasting, where 'nose' is a synonym for 'bouquet' or 'aroma'. Unlike the general word 'smell', 'nose' here is a technical term with positive connotations of discernment.
常見錯誤
3. the projecting front end of an aircraft, car, or ship, shaped to push smoothly t
the projecting front end of an aircraft, car, or ship, shaped to push smoothly through air or water with less resistance
The plane's nose pointed downward as it began its final landing approach.
collocation: nose of a plane / plane's nose
Sivan saw the nose of the fishing boat slowly emerge from the thick morning fog.
Eric painted a bright red stripe along the nose of his model aeroplane.
The front-left section of the car, including the nose, was badly damaged in the crash.
- tail
the rear part of a vehicle, especially an aircraft
文法句型
the + nose + of + vehicle
用法筆記
Most frequent in aviation contexts (plane's nose, nose cone, nose wheel) but also used for cars (nose of the car, nose-to-tail traffic) and boats (nose of the ship). The equivalent term for trains is typically 'front' rather than 'nose'.
nose — verb
- nosepresent simple I / you / we / they
- noses3rd person singular
- nosing-ing form
- nosedpast simple
1. to try to find out private information about other people by looking around wher
to try to find out private information about other people by looking around where you are not supposed to be, in a way that is annoying or not welcome
The reporter spent the morning nosing around the politician's private office for a story.
pattern: nose around + place
Rachid caught his neighbour nosing through his mail one afternoon.
pattern: nose through + something
Someone has been nosing into our financial records without permission.
The security guard saw a stranger nosing about the warehouse after midnight.
Ayesha told her nosy colleague to stop nosing into her personal life.
- snoop
very similar meaning, perhaps slightly more common in American English
- pry
more formal equivalent; 'pry into' is interchangeable with 'nose into'
- poke around
informal phrasal verb; can be neutral or negative depending on context
- ignore
to deliberately pay no attention to something
- respect privacy
phrase indicating the opposite behaviour
文法句型
nose + around
nose + about
nose + into + place/matter
nose + object + out
用法筆記
Almost always used with a following adverb (around/about) or preposition (into/through). The related adjective 'nosy' describes someone who behaves this way. This sense does NOT mean to use your physical nose to smell — it is entirely metaphorical.
常見錯誤
2. to drive or guide a vehicle forwards a little at a time, taking great care not t
to drive or guide a vehicle forwards a little at a time, taking great care not to hit anything or go into a space that is too small
Hugo carefully nosed the car into the narrow parking space between two vans.
pattern: nose + vehicle + into + space
The captain slowly nosed the ship into the busy harbour through the early morning mist.
Christopher nosed the delivery van forward through the crowded market street.
The taxi nosed its way out of the traffic jam and turned down a side road.
文法句型
nose + vehicle + adverb/preposition
nose + adverb/preposition
nose + into/out of/through + space
用法筆記
Often used when describing parking, moving through tight spaces, or entering a harbour. When transitive, the object is always a vehicle (nose the boat / nose the car). The intransitive use personifies the vehicle as moving itself (the car nosed forward).