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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1965 (SND Vol. VI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

NOSE, n., v. Sc. usages. See also Niz.

I. n. 1. In Combs.: (1) noseband, in fishing; a loop of stout cord joining a sinker to the main cord of a fishing-line (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.); (2) nose-cock, a bib-cock, a faucet with a turned-down nozzle (Sc. 1952 Builder (20 June) 942); (3) nose-feast, a buffeting from a head-wind in rough weather. Cf. nizzer s.v. Niz; (4) nose-nippers, pince-nez; (5) nose-nippin, of weather: sharp, biting, frosty (Ork. 1964); ¶(6) noseskip, nasal; (7) nose-specks, ? = (4); (8) nosethirl, -tirl (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl.; Cai. 1903 E.D.D.; Sh. 1914 Angus Gl.), a nostril. Obs. except dial. in Eng. in this form from the 17th c.; (9) nose-wise, (i) having a keen sense of smell (Sc. 1808 Jam.). Obs. in Eng. from the 17th c.; (ii) conceited, opinionated. Sim. obs. in Eng. Cf. Niz, Combs.(3) Abd. 1903 E.D.D.:
Ye'll get a nose-feast to-night, for that's a snell wind.(4) Abd. 1895 J. Davidson Ministers 26:
The chief event of the secular week was the arrival on Wednesday of the Aberdeen Journal, which he read aloud . . . in a loud monotone, nasalised by the light grip of a large pair of nose-nippers worn low.(5) Gsw. 1889 A. G. Murdoch Sc. Readings (Ser. 2) 10:
Is it possible ye're oot in sic a nose-nippin' nicht as this?(6) Wgt. 1804 R. Couper Poems II. 75:
Syne up he lift his voice wi' pith And sang staves thretty twa In Bothwell-brig's right noseskip twang.(7) Per. 1835 J. Monteath Dunblane Trad. (1887) 91:
She stared Johnny through her nose-specks full in the face.(8) Bnff. 1719 Sc. N. & Q. (July 1930) 127:
Forcibly holding to her nosethirls glasses full of Brandy.(9) (ii) Bnff. 1787 W. Taylor Sc. Poems 174:
On the pride of a Nose-wise S[out]er.

2. As in Eng., the point or protruding end of something, specif.: the outermost end of a pier (Sh. 1866 Edm. Gl., 1914 Angus Gl., Sh. 1964); in mining: a projecting angle of coal or some other mineral (Sc. 1886 J. Barrowman Mining Terms 46); the front or point of the head of a golf-club (Sc. 1887 Golfing (Chambers) 94); the part of a potato farthest from the attachment to the stem. Used sim. in Eng. of a fruit or berry.Lth. 1829 G. Robertson Recollections 324:
It has been found beneficial to select for seed that part of the potato which may be called the nose.Sc. 1920 Bk. of School Sports 178:
Head. — The striking part of a club. Its “heel” is nearest the shaft, the other end is called its “toe” or “nose”, and the bottom the “sole.”Fif. 1963 Scots Mag. (Nov.) 141:
A big nose o' coal come over and knocked him against the conveyors.

3. In dim. nosie: a throw in the game of knifie (see Knife, 1. and quot.) (Bnff., Ags., Per., Lnl., Ayr. 1964).Sc. 1951 Sunday Post (12 Aug.):
In “Nosie” and “Elbowie” you hold the point of the knife to your nose or elbow and jerk it so as to stick in the turf.

II. v. Of a shoemaker: to trim the point or toe of a new shoe-sole.Abd. 1906 Banffshire Jnl. (19 June) 2:
I see his apron smear'd wi' rosit, I see him shue his sole and “nose it”