нос nose; sense of smell

nose
У него был широкий, приплюснутый нос. He had a flat, broad nose.
sense of smell
Чуткий нос этих животных не даёт им пропасть в лесу. Thanks to their keen sense of smell, these animals can survive in the woods.

Semantics

This entry is primarily concerned with the use of the word нос denoting the human nose as part of the face and the organ of smell (also serving as part of the respiratory system). However, it can refer to animals, too. Specific words or expressions referring only to animals are so marked. Common sense will dictate which of the expressions listed in this entry can or cannot be used to refer to animals or humans.

The word нос is also used to mean "the sense of smell, the ability to smell" with reference to animals. This meaning is also described in this entry. The meaning "forward part of a vessel" (на носу корабля "on the bow of the ship") is not described in this dictionary.

Morphology

нос SE Loc. (в/на) -у; m.in.noun
NB Irregular in phrases не показывать носу [носа is also possible] "to stay out of sight"; комар носу [носа is also possible] не подточит "no one will smell a rat"; из носу [из носу and из носа are also possible] "from one's nose," etc.; за нос [за нос is also possible] "by the nose," etc.; на нос [на нос is also possible] "onto one's nose," etc.; говорить себе под нос [под нос is also possible] "to mumble"; под носом [под носом is also possible] "under one's nose" (literally, and also in the meaning "very close").

Syntax

Syntactic actants

Actant 1: whose nose it is
(a) Genitive
(b) Possessive
Нос Николая Ивановича имел весьма своеобразную форму. Nikolai Ivanovich's nose had a unique shape.
Жучкин розовый нос был похож на шляпку гриба. Zhuchka's [a dog] pink nose looked like a mushroom cap.
NB When the word нос functions as a subject and has no descriptive modifier, the construction нос у + Genitive is often preferred to (a) and (b), above:
Нос у Николая Ивановича был большой и красный. Nikolai Ivanovich's nose was large and red.

Lexical Relationships

Synonyms

рубильник Highly Colloquial and Rude nose
NB The common meaning of рубильник is "electric circuit breaker."
паяльник Highly Colloquial and Rude nose
NB The common meaning of паяльник is "soldering iron."
руль Highly Colloquial and Rude nose
NB The common meaning of руль is "rudder."
NB The above three words are often used to refer to a large nose.
орган обоняния the olfactory organ
NB The expressions listed below are synonymous to нос only in the meaning "the sense of smell":
обоняние; нюх; чутьё sense of smell
NB The words нюх and чутьё can refer only to animals' sense of smell. They can refer to humans only in the figurative sense of a special perceptiveness, a feel for something.

Diminutives

носик; носишко nose

Augmentatives

носище nose

Syntactic derivatives

носовой nasal, nose (as modifier)
носовой платок handkerchief
носовая полость Anatomical sinus
носовой звук Linguistic nasal sound
-носый -nosed
длинноносый long-nosed

Parts

переносица bridge of the nose
кончик носаg tip of the nose
крылья носаg the wings of the nose, the nostrils (the cartilage of the nose which forms the nostrils, including the areas immediately surrounding the nostrils)
ноздри nostrils
носовая перегородка Anatomical nasal membrane
носовая полость Anatomical sinus
Appearance, conditions, and sensations

Size and shape; aesthetics

большой нос; крупный нос; здоровый нос Colloquial; здоровенный нос Colloquial large nose, prominent nose
носатый Colloquial; большеносый big-nosed, having a large nose
толстый нос fat nose
толстоносый having a big, fat nose
маленький нос little nose
тонкий нос thin nose
тонконосый thin-nosed, having a thin nose
длинный нос long nose
длинноносый long-nosed
короткий нос short nose
прямой нос straight nose
классический нос classical nose
греческий нос Greek nose
римский нос Roman nose
породистый нос aristocratic nose
NB Породистый нос is a description often given to a prominent and straight nose, sometimes with a small hump (горбинка) just below the bridge.
правильный нос; нос правильной формыg well-formed nose
орлиный нос aquiline nose
нос с горбинкойi large thin nose with a small hump
NB The description нос с горбинкой, above, is often meant as a compliment, as an acknowledgement of an interesting-looking nose.
Вот портрет Ахматовой. Нос с горбинкой, резко очерченные скулы, чёлка на лбу. Here is a portrait of Akhmatova — an aquiline nose, cheek-bones sharply defined, bangs on her forehead.
нос пуговкойi; нос кнопочкойi; нос-пуговка button nose
вздёрнутый нос; курносый нос snub nose
курносый snub-nosed
кривой нос crooked nose
кривоносый crooked-nosed, having a crooked nose
горбатый нос a large, ill-shaped nose with a hump in it
горбоносый hook-nosed
хищный нос beaklike nose
утиный нос long, flat nose resembling the bill of a duck
острый нос; вострый нос Substandard sharp nose, needle nose
остроносый; востроносый Substandard sharp-nosed, needle-nosed
заостриться [no Impf.]: у Ng носn заострился N's nose became pointed
NB The above expression refers to one of the features of a face that has become thin.
От болезни он страшно похудел, глаза ввалились, нос заострился. He had gotten terribly thin from his illness, his eyes were sunken and his nose pointy.
заострённый нос pointed nose
тупой нос blunt nose
плоский нос; приплюснутый нос; сплющенный нос flat, broad nose
широкий нос wide nose
нос крючкомi; крючковатый нос hooked nose
нос картошкойi large bulbous nose
круглый нос round nose (not necessarily large)
мясистый нос fleshy nose
костистый нос bony nose
некрасивый нос an unattractive nose
безобразный нос; уродливый нос ill-formed nose, ugly nose
NB The characteristics shown below are commonly used when describing a woman's or a child's nose:
точёный нос (or носик); изящный нос exquisite nose
очаровательный нос (or носик) charming nose
хорошенький нос (or носик); миленький нос (or носик); прелестный нос (or носик); аккуратненький нос (or носик) cute little nose

Color

красный нос red nose
В комнату вошёл Коля с красным от холода носом. Kolya walked into the room, his nose red from the cold.
красноносый red-nosed
синий нос purple nose
лиловый нос purplish nose
сизый нос bluish nose
Судя по его сизому носу, он любит крепкие напитки. Judging by his bluish nose, he likes strong drink.
NB The colors listed above are perceived as the result of excessive drinking or exposure to cold.
белый нос white nose
восковой нос waxy nose
NB The expression белый нос is likely to refer to a frost-bitten nose, or to the nose of a corpse, while the expression восковой нос is likely to be said of a dying person or a corpse.
нос в угряхp; угреватый нос nose covered with blackheads

A dirty nose

грязный нос; нос в Nloc/p dirty nose, a nose smeared with N
Вечно нос в грязи у этого ребёнка! То в каше, то в чернилах! That child's nose is always dirty! First it's the cereal, then the ink!
вымазать [no Impf.] носa Ni (or в Np);
выпачкать [no Impf.] носa Ni (or в Np);
измазать [no Impf.] носa Ni;
испачкать [no Impf.] носa Ni 		to get one's nose dirty, smeared with N
У тебя нос выпачкан в мороженом. You've got ice cream on your nose.

A nose exposed to cold

белый нос; отмороженный нос; обмороженный нос white nose, i.e. frost-bitten nose
мёрзнуть/замёрзнуть (or замерзать/замёрзнуть): у Ng носn мёрзнет (or замерзает) N's nose is freezing
краснеть/покраснеть: у Ng носn краснеет (от холодаg or морозаg) N's nose is getting red (from the cold)
белеть/побелеть: у Ng носn белеет (от холодаg or морозаg) N's nose is getting white (from the cold)
растирать/растереть носa to rub one's nose
Да у тебя нос совсем белый! Ты его отморозил. Скорей растирай его варежкой! Your nose is dead-white! You've gotten it frostbitten. Hurry and rub it with your mitten!

A nose exposed to sun

загорать/загореть: у Ng носn загорел N's nose got sunburned
обгорать/обгореть: у Ng носn обгорел N's nose is badly sunburned
облезать/облезть: у Ng носn облез; N's nose had peeled
лупиться/облупиться: у Ng носn облупился
Видишь, ты слишком много была на солнце, теперь нос лупится! See, you were in the sun too long, and now your nose is peeling!
облупленный (or облупившийся) нос a peeled nose, i.e. a nose that has recently been peeling
веснушчатый нос; нос в веснушкахp a freckled nose

Sensations, medical conditions, and their treatment

мокрый нос; сопливый нос a runny nose
распухший нос a swollen nose
красный нос a red nose
воспалённый нос an inflamed nose
быть [no Pf.] мокро: у Ng под носомi мокро;
течь/потечь: у Ng из носаg течёт;
течь/потечь: у Ng соплиn из носаg текут 		N's nose is running
распухать/распухнуть: у Ng носn распух N's nose is swollen
закладывать/заложить: у Ng носa заложило;
закладывать/заложить: Nd носa заложило;
закладывать/заложить: у Ng носn заложен Colloquial 		N's nose is stuffed up
NB The verb заложить, above, can only be used with parts of the body, not with the person; that is, one's nose, ears, chest, lungs can be заложены "stuffed up," but it is impossible to use this verb to create a Russian equivalent of "I am stuffed up."
сохнуть/высохнуть: у Ng в носуloc сохнет N's nasal membrane feels dry
сухость в носуloc nasal dryness
щекотать/защекотать [Pf-begin]: у Ng в носуloc щекочет N's nose tickles
щипать/защипать [Pf-begin]: у Ng в носуloc щиплет N's nose stings
чесаться/зачесаться [Pf-begin]: у Ng в носуloc чешется N's nose itches
шмыгать/шмыгнуть [Pf-once] носомi to sniff
вытирать/вытереть носa to wipe one's nose
ковырять/поковырять [Pf-awhile] в носуloc to pick one's nose
сморкать/высморкать носa; сморкаться/высморкаться to blow one's nose
чихать/чихнуть [Pf-once] to sneeze
Апчхи! Achoo!
Будь здоров! Gesundheit! Bless you!
насморк congestion, head cold
Доктор, меня замучил насморк. Из носа всё время течёт, нос заложен так, что дышать нечем. Приходится всё время сморкаться, нос распух и весь красный. Doctor, this cold is wearing me out. My nose is running all the time. I'm so stuffed up I can't breathe. I have to blow my nose all the time. It's swollen and all red.
козявки Colloquial dried mucus
сопли snot
врач ухо-горло-нос; отоларинголог Formal ear, nose, and throat doctor, otolaryngologist
капли для носаg; капли в носa; капли от насморкаg nose drops, nasal antihistamine
закапывать/закапать каплиa в носa to put in nose drops
носовой платок handkerchief
Петя, вытри нос, у тебя под носом мокро! И прекрати ковырять в носу! У тебя есть носовой платок. Pete, wipe your nose, it's running! And stop picking your nose! You have a handkerchief.
проваливаться/провалиться: у Ng носn провалился N's nose collapsed
NB The above expression describes a medical condition resulting from a disease such as syphilis.
провалившийся нос a collapsed nose

Inflicting and sustaining injuries

заехать [no Impf.] Nd в носa (or по носуd) Colloquial;
давать/дать Nd в носa (or по носуd) Colloquial 		to punch N in the nose, to give N one in the nose
разбивать/разбить Nd/(себеd) носa (в кровьa);
расквашивать/расквасить Nd/(себеd) носa Colloquial;
расшибать/расшибить Nd/(себеd) носa Colloquial 		to give N/oneself a bloody nose, to punch N in the nose
NB The injury described above involves only the soft tissue, not the bone.
разбитый нос; расквашенный нос Colloquial a bloody nose (from being struck)
течь/потечь: у Ng из носаg кровьn течёт N's nose is bleeding
ломать/сломать Nd/(себеd) носa;
перебивать/перебить Nd носa 		to break N's/one's nose
перебитый нос a broken nose
шмякаться/шмякнуться носомi Colloquial to fall flat on one's face

Make-up

пудрить/напудрить носa to powder one's nose
напудренный носa a powdered nose

Sniffing and smelling

чуткий нос a sensitive nose
острый нос Colloquial a sharp nose, i.e. a good sense of smell
NB The above two expressions are used only for animals.
нюхать/понюхать Na to sniff N
Я понюхал цветок. Он оказался совершенно без запаха. I sniffed the flower. It turned out to be completely without a scent.
Собака понюхала воздух и заскулила. The dog sniffed the air and whimpered.
потягивать/потянуть носомi (воздухa) to sniff (the air)
Он потянул носом и весело сказал: «Ого, бифштексом пахнет!» He sniffed and said cheerfully, "Hey, I smell steak!"
чувствовать/почувствовать запахa Ng (or Adj запах);
ощущать/ощутить запахa Ng (or Adj запах) 		to smell N, to catch an Adj smell
ударять/ударить: запахn Ng1 ударил Nd2 в носa;
шибать/шибануть: запахn Ng1 шибанул Nd2 в носa Colloquial 		the odor of N1 assailed N's2 sense of smell (lit. "hit N2 in the nose"), N2 was overpowered by the smell of N1
NB The verbs ударить and шибануть, above, are used only for a strong, unpleasant odor:
Запах хлорки ударил нам в нос. The smell of chlorine was overpowering.
поднимать/поднять носa to raise one's nose
NB The above expression is often said of a dog trying to catch a scent.
затыкать/заткнуть носa;
зажимать/зажать носa 		to hold one's nose (in order to avoid an unpleasant odor)

Breathing

дышать [no Pf.] через носa (or носомi) to breathe through one's nose
вдыхать/вдохнуть [Pf-once] через носa to inhale through one's nose
выдыхать/выдохнуть [Pf-once] через носa to exhale through one's nose
NB Note the different options used with дышать vs. вдыхать and выдыхать.
фыркать/фыркнуть [Pf-once] носомi to snort
сопеть/посопеть [Pf-awhile] носомi to puff, to wheeze, to breathe heavily through the nose

Speaking

в носa; гнусаво nasally, twangy
NB The adverbial expressions above are used only with verbs of speaking or singing:
to speak through one's nose, to speak in a twangy voice
произносить в нос (or гнусаво) to pronounce nasally, through one's nose
петь в нос (or гнусаво) to sing in a twangy voice
гнусавить [no Pf.]; гундосить [no Pf.] Substandard to speak through one's nose, to speak in a twangy voice
гнусавый голос; гундосый голос Substandard nasal, adenoidal voice
говорить/проговорить себеd под носa (or под носa) to mumble under one's breath

Movements and gestures

морщить/наморщить носa to wrinkle one's nose
NB The above phrase is used in various situations, often to describe a child about to cry.
морщить/сморщить носa to turn one's nose up, to wrinkle one's nose
NB The above phrase is often used as a description of distaste, disgust, or disdain.
надевать/надеть очкиa (or пенснеa) на носa (or на носa) to put one's glasses/pince-nez on
тереться/потереться носомi о Na to nuzzle N
Мишенька потёрся носом о мамин рукав, положил головку ей на колени и заснул. Little Misha nuzzled his mother's sleeve, put his head in her lap, and fell asleep.
уткнуться [no Impf.] носомi в Na to bury one's nose in N
Мальчик уткнулся носом в мамину кофту и зарыдал. The little boy buried his nose in his mother's jersey and burst into tears.
Вместо ответа он уткнулся носом в газету, давая понять, что разговор окончен. Instead of answering, he buried his nose in the newspaper, making it clear that the conversation was over.
тыкаться/ткнуться носомi в Na to push one's nose against N
NB The above expression is often said of an animal showing affection or curiosity.
хватать/схватить Na за носa (or за носa) to grab N by the nose
дёргать/дёрнуть [Pf-once] Na за носa (or за носa) to pull N by the nose
щёлкать/щёлкнуть [Pf-once] Na по носу to flick N's nose
NB The above expression describes a friendly gesture, most often by an adult to a child, in which the middle finger is released from the thumb to gently strike the nose.
тыкать/ткнуть котёнкаa (or щенкаa, etc.) носомi в Na to push the kitten's nose (or the puppy's nose, etc.) into N, to rub the kitten's nose (or puppy's, etc.) in N
NB The expression ткнуть носом в Na, where N denotes some kind of excretion, is used to describe the training of a pet that is being reminded that excreting N will not be tolerated. This expression is used colloquially in the figurative meaning of "to rub somebody's nose in N" i.e., to draw somebody's attention to a mistake or blunder he or she has committed.

Sample texts

Чёрные, как смоль, волосы, острый, с лёгкой горбинкой нос, из-под чёрных бровей — огненные глаза на несколько бледном, словно нерусском, слегка бронзовато-оливковом лице, — всё изумило Державина. [В. Ходасевич, Державин] Hair black as pitch, with a sharp, aquiline nose; from under black eyebrows — burning eyes in a somewhat pale, not quite Russian face, with a bronzed olive cast to it — all of it amazed Derzhavin. [V. Khodasevich, "Derzhavin"]
Они спустились к свалке и, зажимая носы, пошли шагать через кучи отбросов... [Стругацкие, Трудно быть богом] They went down to the dump and holding their noses went tromping through piles of garbage... [A. and B. Strugatskiy, It's Hard to be a God]
У него тряслась голова, шевелились тонкие губы и двигался в такт словам кончик длинного носа. His head shook, his thin lips moved, and the tip of his long nose wiggled to the rhythm of the words.
У Пети насморк, он не может дышать носом. Pete has a cold, and he can't breathe through his nose.
У меня был так заложен нос, что я даже не чувствовал запаха кофе. I was so congested that I couldn't even smell the coffee.
Она [ишачок] доверчиво тёрлась мягким носиком о наши руки [О. Перовская, Ребята и зверята] She [the little donkey] trustingly rubbed her soft nose on our hands. [O. Perovskaya, Children and Baby Animals]