ON THE NOSE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does on the nose mean? 

• ON THE NOSE (adjective)
  The adjective ON THE NOSE has 1 sense:

1. being precise with regard to a prescribed or specified criterion

  Familiarity information: ON THE NOSE used as an adjective is very rare.

• ON THE NOSE (adverb)
  The adverb ON THE NOSE has 1 sense:

1. just as it should be

  Familiarity information: ON THE NOSE used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ON THE NOSE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Being precise with regard to a prescribed or specified criterion

Synonyms:

on the button; on the nose

Context example:

the prediction for snow was right on the button

Similar:

precise (sharply exact or accurate or delimited)

• ON THE NOSE (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Just as it should be

Synonyms:

exactly; on the button; on the dot; on the nose; precisely

Context example:

'Precisely, my lord,' he said

 Context examples 

The earth struck him a harsh blow on the nose that made him yelp.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

One of the larger rabbit breeds, the Californian has a rounded, medium-length body with a short coat that is white with black on the nose, ears, feet, legs, and tail.

(California Rabbit, NCI Thesaurus)

‘Take that, then,’ says he, and it’s a clip on the nose, or a backhanded slap across the chops as likely as not.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then the man advanced and deliberately dealt him a frightful blow on the nose.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Researchers from the University of São Paulo’s São Carlos Physics Institute, along with scientists from the University of California’s Department of Nanoengineering, in San Diego, immobilised the enzyme on an electrode coupled to a circuit with a constant flow of electrons, and then installed the device on the nose pad of the pair of glasses.

(Brazilian researchers eye biosensors to monitor diabetes, SciDev.Net)

A twig that he thought a long way off, would the next instant hit him on the nose or rake along his ribs.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

While the sight of a moose-bird almost invariably put him into the wildest of rages; for he never forgot the peck on the nose he had received from the first of that ilk he encountered.

(White Fang, by Jack London)