What it means
To stick your nose in means getting involved in somebody else’s business when nobody asked you to. It’s what you say when someone’s being nosy, prying, or hovering round a conversation that isn’t for them. Usually said as a warning off, with a bit of edge or a bit of banter.
Usage examples
"Do not stick your nose in, this is between the two of them."
"She cannot help sticking her nose in whenever the neighbours have a barney."
"He’s always sticking his nose in when there’s a row at work."
"Tell your brother to stop sticking his nose in, this has got nothing to do with him."
"Oi, don’t stick your nose in, we’ve got this sorted."
Where it comes from
This one’s built from the older English habit of using nose for unwanted curiosity. English had nose into and nosy well before the modern phrase settled in. Stick your nose in keeps that same picture alive: somebody pushing themselves right into business that wasn’t opened for them.
Other ways to say it
Editors of this term
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