I love these words with a long history. =) To mix things up today, I’m going to present this one as a
list. Wanna take a guess as to which one I was looking up for the end of my spy story? LOL
Primary use (you know, the part of your face) – Old English
Used of any prominent or projecting part – 1530s.
To say something is under (one’s) nose “in plain view” – 1540s
(verb) to perceive the smell of – 1570s
something obvious – 1590s.
Pay through the nose (bleed) – 1670s
(verb) to pry, search – 1640s
To turn up one’s nose, “show disdain” – 1818 (earlier hold up one’s nose, 1570s)
Odor, scent (the nose of a perfume) – 1894
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
(verb) to look down one’s nose – 1921
Roseanna M. White is a bestselling, Christy Award winning author who has long claimed that words are the air she breathes. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two kids, editing, designing book covers, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of a slew of historical novels that span several continents and thousands of years. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to find their way into her books…to offset her real life, which is blessedly ordinary.
Wow, who would have thought! I love it when I read something I would never have learned on my own without prompting. LOL 🙂
Susan P
Oh my … and I thought "nose" was just the name of the thing on my face which appreciates the scent of lilac, especially, at this time of year! 🙂
I'm guessing that nose as in pry and search was your interest in this case.
I hope your work continues to be blessed as you keep researching and writing! 🙂