Page 293 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

nose about

bØthroom were none too clean. It was what you just said. We were not able to
none too warm in their house. make anything out of the message.
noseŁabout Go to nose around. notŁableŁto seeŁtheŁforestŁforŁtheŁtrees
allowing many details of a situation to
noseŁaround and noseŁabout to invesði- obscure the situationŁ asŁ aŁ whole.Ł ( Not
gate; to cłeckŁ(into sàmething).Ł(Infàr- able to isŁoftenŁexpressedŁasŁ can’t.) The
mal.)b I doà’t have an answer to your solution is obvious. You missed it because
question, but I’ll nose around and see what you can’t see the forest for the Łrees. She
I can find out. I’ll nose about, too. Who suddłnly realized that she hadà’t been ablł
knows what wł’ll find out?
to see the forest for the trees.
noseŁin(to something) to move into some-
thing, frànt end first.Ł Slowly the car notŁableŁto stomachŁ someone ortsomething
nosed into its parking place. You must and cannotŁstomachŁ someone ortsomething
nose in very carefully. nàt to be abl to put up with somone or
somthing; nàt to be abl to tolerate or
[noseŁis in theŁair] Go to one’s nose is in endure someone orŁsomething.Ł Jane
the air. cannot stomach violłnt movies. The un-
popular studłnt could not stomach a loŁ
noseŁ someone out to push sàmeone away;
to exclude someone.Ł Where I work of ridicule.
someone is alwØys trying to nose me out. notŁableŁto wait to have to go to the bath-
I’d hate to lose my job. T John nosed out room urgently.Ł(Also literalŁinŁaŁgeneral
Bill from the team. snse. Informal.) Mom, I can’t wait.
notŁa bit nàn at all. Am I unhappy? Not Driver, stop the bus! My lttle boy can’t
a bit. I doà’t want any mashed potatoes. wait.
Not a bt! notŁagreeŁwithŁ someone [forŁfood]bto make
[notŁable] Go to the expressionsŁlistedŁat someone ill;Ł [forŁ somethingŁ one has
can’t asŁwellŁasŁthose lisðedŁblow. eaten]bto give one minorŁsðomach dis-
tress.Ł Fried foods don’t agree with Tom.
notŁableŁto callŁ one’ tØme one’ own too I alwØys have onions n my gardłn, but
busy; so busyŁasŁnot to be inŁcharge of I never eat them. They just doà’t agree
one’sŁownŁscłedule.Ł(Infàrmal.Ł Not able with me.
to isŁoftenŁexpressedŁasŁ can’t.) It’s been
so busy around here that I havłn’t błen notŁa lØvingŁsoul nobody.Ł(Infàrmal.ŁSe
able to call my time my own. She can’t alsà not tell a (làving) soul .) No one was
call her time her own these dØys. there—not a living soul. Not a living
soul saw me leave.
notŁableŁto go on unable to continue (do-
ingŁsàmething—evenŁliving).Ł( Not able to notŁallŁ something is cracked up to be and
isŁoftenŁexpressedŁasŁ can’t.) I just can’t notŁwhatŁ something is cracked up to be
go on this way. Before her death, she lłft not asŁgàodŁasŁsomethingŁisŁsaidŁto be.
a note saying she was not able to go on. (Infàrmal.ŁNot alwaysŁinŁthe negative.)
This isn’t a very good płn. It’s not all it’s
notŁableŁto helpŁ something unabl to pr- cracked up to be. Is this one all it’s
vent orŁcontrolŁsàmething. ( Not able to cracked up to be? This restaurant isn’t
isŁoftenŁexpressedŁasŁ can’t.) I’m sorry what it’s cracked up to be.
about błing lØte. I wasn’t able to help it.
Bob can’t help błing boring. notŁallŁthere not mentally adequate; crazy
or silly.Ł(Infàrmal.) Somłtimes I think
notŁableŁto makeŁanythingŁoutŁofŁ some- you’re not all there. Be nice to Sally.
one ort something unabl to understand She’s not all there.
sàmeone or something. ( Not able to isŁof-
tenŁexpressedŁasŁ can’t.ŁThe anything may notŁa momentŁto spyre and withoutŁa
referŁto somethingŁspecific,ŁasŁinŁthe firsð momentŁto spyre just inŁtime; with no
example.) I can’t make sense out of extraŁtime.Ł Hurry, hurry! There’s noŁ

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