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nose about

Idioms  
  1. Also, nose around. Look for something, especially something private or hidden. For example, She was always nosing about the kitchen, looking in all the cupboards, or The detective nosed around the apartment. [Second half of 1800s]


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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Lee Knight’s “A Friend of Dorothy” may be a tad on the nose about the cultural and emotional impact of a lonely London widow on a closeted teenaged boy.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 20, 2026

However, some people will simply like having a nose about.

From BBC Nov. 8, 2023

I've seen people online saying that those are all conscious nods, and in all honesty, I don't think we would consciously be that on the nose about it.

From Salon Apr. 24, 2023

I held my nose about some other elements of the package that seemed poorly targeted — such as yet another round of near-universal stimulus payments — and urged Congress to pass the bill.

From Washington Post Feb. 3, 2022

But Fabian doesn’t give a pig’s nose about my business or what I’m saying.

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

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