prodnose

plural prodnoses

1. slangSynonym of busybody.

   It would be rash to suppose that the Institute was just a gatherum of clay-minded prodnoses.

   1968, Flann O'Brien, The Best of Myles

   3 more examples

   The fact that the urban populace were enjoying themselves in the "gin palaces" — which also sold much else— incensed the do-gooders, prodnoses and the temperance movement in general, supported by funds largely subscribed by the more puritanical elements among the new plutocracy.

   1971, John Doxat, The world of drinks and drinking: an international distillation, page 101

   There are no words to describe the prodnoses who would stop finance for a boat because not enough “disadvantaged people” are involved.

   2009, P. Scrivener, English Witness to Their Darkest Hour, page 94

   As I told David when I met him coming out of the house, idle curiosity took me along. So you see I've already an excuse for being a prodnose!

   2015, John Creasey, The Toff and the Lady, →ISBN

   Synonyms: busybody

present singular third person prodnoses · participle present prodnosing · participle past prodnosed · past prodnosed

1. slangTo meddle; to interfere where one is unwelcome.

   Above all, it was the most convincing portrait of the social worker's own thin line, between prodnosing ordinarily sad lives, and not leaping in when there might be small lives to be saved.

   1996, New Statesman - Volume 125, Issues 4304-4315, page 42

   2 more examples

   It's up to you, ladies and gents of the jury, to judge in all fairness whether what follows is in itself culpable, or whether rather the fact that it leads up to the Old Cock getting the push is just another example of the stinking hypocrisy of the official mind which while getting up to I wouldn't like to say what under their whited sheets in their safe suburban nights, puts on a celluloid collar in the morning and with a tight greasy mind goes prodnosing around with a black note-book and a stub of pencil picking up evidence of immorality and inefficiency on the part of war veterans and other true men of the world.

   1956, Wolf Mankowitz, My Old Man's a Dustman, page 106

   “Moral – don't confuse timidity with humility,” advised Rollison, sitting back in his favourite chair. “The truth was that you prodnosed to such good effect that you had them badly worried.

   2012, John Creasey, The Toff And The Deadly Priest, →ISBN, page 168