nose test
An informal method for determining whether something is authentic, credible, or ethical, by using one's common sense or sense of propriety.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“That deal sounds too good, so give it the nose test.”
“Before you sign that contract, give it the nose test to see if it feels right.”
“The proposal failed the nose test, as the underlying motives seemed far more self-serving than the presentation suggested.”
The term is derived from the suggestion that the character or quality of an object may be reliably identified by how it smells.
- 01
banana nose
A large, unusually long nose.
- 02
button nose
A nose with a small size and a relatively flat, round shape, usually considered to be dainty or cute in appearance.
- 03
camel's nose
A situation where the permitting of some small act will lead to a larger undesirable act or circumstance.
- 04
count noses
To count people one at a time.
- 05
cut off one's nose to spite one's face
To harm oneself as a result of attempting to harm an adversary.
- 06
give someone a bloody nose
To defeat or frustrate someone, but without doing any permanent damage.
- 07
I suppose
[Cockney slang]nose
- 08
keep one's nose clean
To stay out of trouble, especially by avoiding unlawful behavior.
Last updated August 10, 2026