lead around by the nose

A form of lead by the nose — To cause to follow blindly.

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Meanings

verblead around by the nose (third-person singular simple present leads around by the nose, present participle leading around by the nose, simple past and past participle led around by the nose)

present singular third person leads around by the nose · participle present leading around by the nose · participle past led around by the nose · past led around by the nose

  1. alternativeAlternative form of lead by the nose (“cause to follow blindly”).

    Milkmaid! Girl-boy! Coward! And Pee-wee Rose lets you lead him around by the nose!

    1882, St. Nicholas, Conducted by M.M. Dodge, volume 9, page 148
    1 more example

    LUCY. Poor uncle! he is so weak. EDW. Yes, poor man, he lets everybody lead him around by the nose.

    1896, Plays of the 19th and 20th Centuries, volume 14, page 26

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
lead by the nose
Cite this entry
APA

lead around by the nose. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lead%20around%20by%20the%20nose

MLA

“lead around by the nose.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lead%20around%20by%20the%20nose. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lead around by the nose,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lead%20around%20by%20the%20nose.

Source: lead around by the nose on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.