nosing

[ noh-zing ]

/ ˈnoʊ zɪŋ /

noun Architecture.

a projecting edge, as the part of the tread of a step extending beyond the riser or a projecting part of a buttress.

Nearby words

Origin of nosing

First recorded in 1765–75; nose + -ing¹

Definition for nosing (2 of 2)

nose

[ nohz ]

/ noʊz /

noun

the part of the face or facial region in humans and certain animals that contains the nostrils and the organs of smell and functions as the usual passageway for air in respiration: in humans it is a prominence in the center of the face formed of bone and cartilage, serving also to modify or modulate the voice.

this part as the organ of smell.

the sense of smell: fragrances appealing to the nose.

anything regarded as resembling the nose of a person or animal, as a spout or nozzle.

the prow of a ship.

the forward end of an aircraft.

the forward edge of the head of a golf club.

a projecting part of anything: the nose of a pair of pliers.

a faculty of perceiving or detecting: to have a nose for news.

the human nose regarded as a symbol of meddling or prying: Why can't he keep his nose out of my business?

the length of a nose: The horse won the race by a nose.

the bouquet of an alcoholic drink, especially the distinctive aroma of a wine.

verb (used with object), nosed, nos·ing.

to perceive by or as by the nose or the sense of smell: a cheese that could be nosed at some distance.

to approach the nose to, as in smelling or examining; sniff.

to move or push forward with or as with the nose: The dog nosed its pup back into the yard. The boat nosed its way toward shore.

to touch or rub with the nose; nuzzle.

verb (used without object), nosed, nos·ing.

to smell or sniff.

to seek as if by smelling or scent: The dogs nosed after their quarry.

to move or push forward: to nose into the wind.

to meddle or pry (often followed by about, into, etc.): They are always nosing about in other people's business.

Verb Phrases

nose out,

to defeat, especially by a narrow margin: The other candidates had been nosed out in the final returns.
to learn or discover, especially by snooping or prying: to nose out a secret.

Origin of nose

before 900; Middle English (noun); Old English nosu; akin to Dutch neus, German Nase, Latin nāsus, Sanskrit nāsā

Related formsnose·less, adjectivenose·like, adjectiveun·nosed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for nosing

“Go easy Mom,” he said, nosing his head around the bathroom door.
Making It in the 2-1-2: How Kenneth Walsh Achieved His NY Dream|Tim Teeman|February 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
No, Johnny liked to hunt alone, nosing up Bear Trap Canyon, looking for broken bush tips, cracks in mud, smudges on rock.
The Ballad of Johnny France|Richard Ben Cramer|January 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Pariah dogs, nosing at the gutters and rubbish-heaps that scented the air, bolted out of the way of the horses' hoofs.
The Jungle Girl|Gordon Casserly
Then he set about nosing for hidden hickory-nuts; few and scarce were they.
Bannertail|Ernest Thompson Seton

Kit followed Sandy's lead, hardly realizing the distance she was covering, until he suddenly disappeared behind a nosing headland.
Kit of Greenacre Farm|Izola Forrester
All the way to the cabin she followed closely, nosing from time to time at the unresponsive figure on the drag.
Hoof and Claw|Charles G. D. Roberts
It had probably gone to sleep in that tree while the island was nosing the mainland and had awakened to find itself adrift.
The Adventures of Piang the Moro Jungle Boy|Florence Partello Stuart

British Dictionary definitions for nosing (1 of 2)

nosing

/ (ˈnəʊzɪŋ) /

noun

the edge of a step or stair tread that projects beyond the riser

a projecting edge of a moulding, esp one that is half-round

Word Origin for nosing

C18: from nose + -ing 1

British Dictionary definitions for nosing (2 of 2)

nose

/ (nəʊz) /

noun

the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract, consisting of a prominent structure divided into two hair-lined air passages by a median septumRelated adjectives: nasal, rhinal

the sense of smell itself: in hounds and other animals, the ability to follow trails by scent (esp in the phrases a good nose, a bad nose)

another word for bouquet (def. 2)

instinctive skill or facility, esp in discovering things (sometimes in the phrase follow one's nose)he had a nose for good news stories

any part regarded as resembling a nose in form or function, such as a nozzle or spout

the forward part of a vehicle, aircraft, etc, esp the front end of an aircraft

narrow margin of victory (in the phrase (win) by a nose)

cut off one's nose to spite one's face to carry out a vengeful action that hurts oneself more than another

get up someone's nose informal to annoy or irritate someone

keep one's nose clean to stay out of trouble; behave properly

keep one's nose to the grindstone to work hard and continuously

lead someone by the nose to make someone do unquestioningly all one wishes; dominate someone

look down one's nose at informal to be contemptuous or disdainful of

nose to tail (of vehicles) moving or standing very close behind one another

on the nose slang

(in horse-race betting) to win onlyI bet twenty pounds on the nose on that horse
mainly US and Canadian precisely; exactly
Australian bad or bad-smelling

pay through the nose informal to pay an exorbitant price

poke one's nose into or stick one's nose into informal to pry into or interfere in

put someone's nose out of joint informal to thwart or offend someone, esp by supplanting him or gaining something he regards as his

rub someone's nose in it informal to remind someone unkindly of his failing or error

see no further than one's nose or see no further than the end of one's nose informal

to be short-sighted; suffer from myopia
to lack insight or foresight

turn up one's nose or turn up one's nose at something informal to behave disdainfully towards (something)

under one's nose

directly in front of one
without one noticing

with one's nose in the air haughtily

verb

(tr) (esp of horses, dogs, etc) to rub, touch, or sniff with the nose; nuzzle

to smell or sniff (wine, etc)

(intr; usually foll by after or for) to search (for) by or as if by scent

to move or cause to move forwards slowly and carefullythe car nosed along the cliff top; we nosed the car into the garage

(intr; foll by into, around, about, etc) to pry or snoop (into) or meddle (in)

Word Origin for nose

Old English nosu; related to Old Frisian nose, Norwegian nosa to smell and nus smell

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for nosing (1 of 2)

nose

"perceive the smell of," 1570s; "pry, search," 1640s, from nose (n.). Related: Nosed; nosing.

Word Origin and History for nosing (1 of 2)

nose

Old English nosu, from Proto-Germanic *nusus (cf. Old Norse nös, Old Frisian nose, Dutch neus, Old High German nasa, German Nase), from PIE *nas- "nose" (cf. Sanskrit nasa, Old Persian naham, Old Church Slavonic nasu, Lithuanian nosis, Latin nasus "nose"). Used of any prominent or projecting part from 1530s. (nose cone in the space rocket sense is from 1949). Used to indicate "something obvious" from 1590s. Meaning "odor, scent" is from 1894.

Kiv, It could bee no other then his owne manne, that had thrust his nose so farre out of ioynte. ["Barnabe Riche His Farewell to Military Profession," 1581]

Pay through the nose (1670s) seems to suggest "bleed." Many extended meanings are from the horse-racing sense of "length of a horse's nose," as a measure of distance between two finishers (1908). To turn up one's nose "show disdain" is from 1818 (earlier hold up one's nose, 1570s); similar notion in look down one's nose (1921). To say something is under (one's) nose "in plain view" is from 1540s.

Medicine definitions for nosing

nose

[ nōz ]

n.

The part of the human face or the forward part of the head of other vertebrates that contains the nostrils and organs of smell and forms the beginning of the respiratory tract.

Idioms and Phrases with nosing

nose

In addition to the idioms beginning with nose

nose about
nose in
nose in a book, have one's
nose in the air, have one's
nose into
nose out
nose out of joint, have one's
nose to the grindstone, keep one's

also see:

brown nose
can't see beyond the end of one's nose
count noses
cut off one's nose
follow one's nose
keep one's nose clean
lead by the nose
look down on (one's nose)
no skin off my nose
on the nose
pay through the nose
plain as day (the nose on your face)
poke one's nose into
rub someone's nose in it
thumb one's nose
turn up one's nose
under one's nose
win by a nose

nosing

noun Architecture.

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of nosing

Definition for nosing (2 of 2)

nose

noun

verb (used with object), nosed, nos·ing.

verb (used without object), nosed, nos·ing.

Verb Phrases

Origin of nose

Examples from the Web for nosing

British Dictionary definitions for nosing (1 of 2)

nosing

noun

Word Origin for nosing

British Dictionary definitions for nosing (2 of 2)

nose

noun

verb

Word Origin for nose

Word Origin and History for nosing (1 of 2)

nose

Word Origin and History for nosing (1 of 2)

nose

Medicine definitions for nosing

nose

n.

Idioms and Phrases with nosing

nose