thumb one's nose

1. Express scorn or ridicule. For example, I'm sure the members of the school committee thumb their noses at any suggestion we make. This expression alludes to the traditional gesture of contempt, that is, placing the thumb under the nose and wiggling the fingers. [c. 1900]

Example Sentences

“What a way to thumb one’s nose at French bashing! #ProudofFrance.”

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Goofs and pranks suddenly became a way to blow off steam, thumb one's nose at campus administration, and indulge creative thinking and behavior stifled by the Institute's rigorous undergraduate curriculum.

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