thumb one's nose
English
Etymology
See thumb, nose.
Pronunciation
Audio (AU) (file)
Verb
![](Images/wiktionary/Thumbing_one's_nose.jpg.webp)
A Confederate sailor thumbing his nose (gesture)
thumb one's nose (third-person singular simple present thumbs one's nose, present participle thumbing one's nose, simple past and past participle thumbed one's nose)
- To place a thumb upon the tip of the nose, typically with the fingers spread and while simultaneously wiggling one's fingers, in a gesture of disrespect.
- My brother thumbed his nose in reply to my snide remarks.
- (figuratively) To act disrespectfully, especially by flouting the object of disrespect.
- Richard Feynman delighted in thumbing his nose at bureaucracy.
Synonyms
- (place a thumb upon the tip of the nose in a gesture of disrespect): cock a snook
Translations
to place a thumb upon the tip of the nose in a gesture of disrespect
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to act disrespectfully, especially by flouting the object of disrespect
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See also
- twist one's fingers in one's ears
- wriggle one's fingers