nose out
C1Informal, occasionally journalistic
Definition
Meaning
To defeat or beat someone by a very small margin.
To discover something through careful investigation or to move forward cautiously, as in a vehicle.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a phrasal verb with three core meanings: 1) To defeat narrowly (most common). 2) To discover something by sniffing or persistent searching (often metaphorical). 3) To move a vehicle's front end forward carefully. All uses carry a nuance of closeness, small margin, or tentative probing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
All meanings are understood in both varieties. The 'move forward cautiously' sense (e.g., nosing out into traffic) may be slightly more common in UK English. The competitive 'defeat' sense is equally used.
Connotations
Neutral in competition contexts. Can imply slyness or underhandedness when meaning 'to discover'.
Frequency
Relatively low-frequency phrasal verb. More likely found in sports reporting or narrative contexts than everyday conversation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] nose out [Object][Subject] nose [Object] out (of [something])Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to nose out a victory”
- “to nose out the competition”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically for winning a contract or deal by a small margin over competitors. (e.g., 'Our firm nosed out the incumbent supplier for the account.')
Academic
Rare. Might appear in historical or political analysis describing close electoral victories.
Everyday
Most common in discussing sports, games, or informal competitions.
Technical
Not used in technical registers.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The underdog managed to nose out the favourite in a thrilling final lap.
- I'll just nose the car out at this junction and have a look.
American English
- The rookie nosed out the veteran by one hundredth of a second.
- The reporter nosed out the scandal after months of digging.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Not typically introduced at this level)
- The blue car just nosed out the red car to win.
- After a lengthy recount, the challenger nosed out the incumbent mayor by just 47 votes.
- She nosed her bicycle out carefully before joining the flow of traffic.
- The investigative journalist eventually nosed out the truth about the hidden payments.
- Our design nosed out three others to be selected for the final phase of the competition.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a horse race where the winning horse's nose just crosses the finish line ahead of the others – it literally 'noses out' its rivals.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPETITION IS A RACE (where the winner's lead is as small as the length of a nose).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque from 'нос наружу'. The Russian phrase 'выиграть на нос' is conceptually close but not a direct equivalent.
- Do not confuse with literal 'stick one's nose out (of a window)', which is a different construction.
Common Mistakes
- Using it for a large-margin victory (incorrect).
- Confusing with 'nose around' (which means to snoop).
- Using it as a noun (e.g., 'He got a nose out' – incorrect).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'nose out' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a separable phrasal verb. You can say 'She nosed out her rival' or 'She nosed her rival out'.
It is informal. In formal contexts, prefer 'edge out', 'defeat narrowly', or 'win by a narrow margin'.
It originates from horse racing and dog racing, where an animal wins by putting its nose just ahead of the competitor's at the finish line.
Not directly. The 'discover' sense is metaphorical, comparing investigation to an animal using its sense of smell to find something.