> OED Entry Search
>
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>
> nosey
>
> nosey nou.zi, sb. f. nose sb. + -y. One who has a large nose. (Used
> as a nickname.)
>
> * 1788 Gov. Pownall in Archaeol. IX. 148 There is an admirable
> caricatura of a musician, what the vulgar of this day would
> call Nosey, playing on a violin.
>
> * 1804 Naval Chron. XI. 100 Pye..was always called Nozey.
>
> * 1819 Metropolis III. 89 The calling a noseless man, nosey, is
> adding insult to the injury which he has sustained.
>
> * 1851 Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 474/1 Had heer'd of the Duke of
> Wellington; he was Old Nosey.
>
> * 1887 Squire in Dict. Nat. Biog. IX. 428/2 It is said that the
> gallery cry, `Play up, nosey', owes its origin to his
> appearance.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> nosey
>
> nosey nou.zi, a. and sb. Also nosy. f. as prec. Cf. nosy a.
>
> A. adj.
>
> 1.
>
> a. Evil-smelling, emitting a bad odour.
>
> * 1836 Haliburton Clockm. (1862) 53 It's so everlasting bad-it's
> near about as nosey as a slave ship of niggers.
>
> * 1867 Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. III. ii. 620 [The corn] was left,
> heated a good deal, and came out clammy and `nosey'.
>
> b. Fragrant.
>
> * 1892 Walsh Tea 161 Many teas that may be `new and nosey' in the
> hand will be thin and flat in the cup.
>
> 2. Sensitive to bad smells.
>
> * 1894 Daily News 17 Jan. 3/1 It is a great compliment to the
> management to state that the most nosey visitor has no
> legitimate ground for offence from organic causes.
>
> 3. slang.
>
> a. Inquisitive, esp. objectionably so; curious.
>
> * 1882 F. W. P. Jago Anc. Lang. & Dial; Cornwall 226 Nosey,
> impertinent, intrusive.
>
> * 1910 H. G. Wells Hist. Mr. Polly vi. 163 I'm not such a
> blooming Geezer..as not to be able to sell goods a bit. One has
> to be nosy over one's buying, of course.
>
> * 1928 Daily Express 11 Sept. 7 Marylebone man: Being nosey, I
> goes to 'ave a look. Magistrate: Being what? Clerk: Nosey;
> meaning curious.
>
> * 1957 M. Spark Comforters iv. 91 She saw Laurence examining
> Eleanor's cigarette case in his nosey way.
>
> * 1973 P. Evans Bodyguard Man xv. 104 `A nosey man...' `Very
> nosey, very smart, very perceptive.'
>
> b.
>
> Nosey Parker
>
> Nosey Parker,
>
> nosey parker
>
> nosey parker: an inquisitive person. Hence
>
> Nosey-Parkering
>
> Nosey-Parkering,
>
> nosey-parkering
>
> nosey-parkering ppl. adj. and vbl. sb. and (as a back-formation)
>
> nosey-park
>
> nosey-park v. intr.;
>
> nosey-parkerdom
>
> nosey-parkerdom,
>
> Nosey-Parkerism
>
> Nosey-Parkerism,
>
> nosey-parkery
>
> nosey-parkery, the display of inquisitive behaviour, the exercise of
> oppressive questioning;
>
> nosey-parkerishness
>
> nosey-parkerishness, inquisitive tendencies.
>
> * 1907 Picture post card (London View Co. Ltd.) (caption) The
> adventures of Nosey Parker.
>
> * 1912 C. Mackenzie Carnival xxi. 217 `I saw you go off with a
> fellah.' `What of it, Mr. Nosy Parker?'
>
> * 1915 Wodehouse Something Fresh v. 163 `But Nosey Parker is what
> I call him,' she said. `He minds everybody's business as well
> as his own.'
>
> * 1925 W. Deeping Sorrell & Son xxx. 302 A rodent, a nasty, acute
> little man of the Nosey Parker genus.
>
> * 1929 H. A. Vachell Virgin xviii. 280 I'm a pestering
> nosey-parkering, shilly-shallying sort of an idiot, eh?
>
> * 1930 J. B. Priestley Angel Pavement iv. 156 That's what takes
> your time, my boy-doing your bit of nosy-parkering.
>
> * 1932 H. Williams in Hansard Commons CCLXII. 1359/2 What I call
> the modern spirit of `nosey-parkerism' in legislation and
> administration.
>
> * 1937 N. Marsh Vintage Murder viii. 86 Shut up, Gordon... Don't
> nosy-park.
>
> * 1939 N. Marsh Overture to Death xi. 118 Asking questions..out
> of..nosey-parkerishness.
>
> * 1947 T. H. White Mistress Masham's Repose xx. 150 `Good-bye.'
> `And none of your Nosey-Parkering.'
>
> * 1958 E. Hyams Taking it Easy ii. iii. 195 Is Bachelor still
> connected with military intelligence, or security, or whatever
> fancy name they have for official nosey-parkering?
>
> * 1961 Economist 4 Nov. 426/3 This kind of officious
> nosey-parkery gives the British immigration authorities a bad
> name.
>
> * 1966 C. Mackenzie My Life & Times V. 157 The original `nosy
> parker'..was one who played Peeping Tom to love-making couples
> in Hyde Park.
>
> * 1969 Daily Tel. 25 Apr. 18 Goodness knows what all this massive
> exercise in nosey parkerdom is costing in terms of printing,
> manpower, administration, etc.
>
> * 1971 L. Lamb Worse than Death iii. 29 Mrs Marshman
> nosey-parked..in Mrs Marble's cupboard.
>
> * 1973 Times 17 Feb. 14/8 As ducks are `parkers', it is easier to
> understand why exploratory and curious ducklings became `nosy
> parkers'.
>
> * 1974 D. Craig Whose Little Girl are You? i. 19 All nosey
> parkers in this street.
>
> * 1974 J. Cooper Women & Super Women 23 The social security
> ladies come nosy-parkering round.
>
> B. sb. An inquisitive person, a `Nosey Parker'.
>
> * 1937 N. Marsh Vintage Murder xiv. 155 He may be a bit of a
> nosy, but he doesn't look like a murderer.
>
> * 1942 Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang Sect.399/1 Meddler
> or inquisitive person,..nosy.
>
> * 1975 H. R. F. Keating Remarkable Case ii. 25 Tomorrow she would
> be out there in time, before all the noseys come out.
And here are the occurrences of 'nosey' in quotations:
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
> Found: 35 entries
> --------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 1. blow (1856) Mayhew Great World of London 5 ``Smoke a pipe of
> baccer..blow your yard of tripe of nosey-me-knacker.''
> 2. civvy (1915) Bartimeus Tall Ship v. 100 ``Nosey wore a rusty
> suit of `civvies'. ''
> 3. conk (1838) Dickens O. Twist xxxi, ``Conkey means Nosey,
> ma'am. ''
> 4. flap (1959) I. &. P. Opie Lore &. Lang. Schoolch. x. 183
> ``Nosey people are known as: Flap-ears, Keyhole Kates,
> Nosey-Parkers [etc.]. ''
> 5. nosey (1788) Gov. Pownall in Archaeol. IX. 148 ``There is an
> admirable caricatura of a musician, what the vulgar of this day
> would call Nosey, playing on a violin. ''
> 6. nosey (1819) Metropolis III. 89 ``The calling a noseless man,
> nosey, is adding insult to the injury which he has sustained.
> ''
> 7. nosey (1851) Mayhew Lond. Labour I. 474/1 ``Had heer'd of the
> Duke of Wellington; he was Old Nosey. ''
> 8. nosey (1887) Squire in Dict. Nat. Biog. IX. 428/2 ``It is said
> that the gallery cry, `Play up, nosey', owes its origin to his
> appearance.''
> 9. nosey (1836) Haliburton Clockm. (1862) 53 ``It's so
> everlasting bad-it's near about as nosey as a slave ship of
> niggers. ''
> 10. nosey (1867) Jrnl. R. Agric. Soc. III. ii. 620 ``[The corn]
> was left, heated a good deal, and came out clammy and
> `nosey'.''
> 11. nosey (1892) Walsh Tea 161 ``Many teas that may be `new and
> nosey' in the hand will be thin and flat in the cup.''
> 12. nosey (1894) Daily News 17 Jan. 3/1 ``It is a great compliment
> to the management to state that the most nosey visitor has no
> legitimate ground for offence from organic causes.''
> 13. nosey (1882) F. W. P. Jago Anc. Lang. &. Dial. Cornwall 226
> ``Nosey, impertinent, intrusive. ''
> 14. nosey (1928) Daily Express 11 Sept. 7 ``Marylebone man: Being
> nosey, I goes to 'ave a look. Magistrate: Being what? Clerk:
> Nosey; meaning curious. ''
> 15. nosey (1957) M. Spark Comforters iv. 91 ``She saw Laurence
> examining Eleanor's cigarette case in his nosey way. ''
> 16. nosey (1973) P. Evans Bodyguard Man xv. 104 ```A nosey man...'
> `Very nosey, very smart, very perceptive.'''
> 17. nosey (1907) Picture post card (London View Co. Ltd.)
> (caption) ``The adventures of Nosey Parker. ''
> 18. nosey (1915) Wodehouse Something Fresh v. 163 ```But Nosey
> Parker is what I call him,' she said. `He minds everybody's
> business as well as his own.' ''
> 19. nosey (1925) W. Deeping Sorrell &. Son xxx. 302 ``A rodent, a
> nasty, acute little man of the Nosey Parker genus. ''
> 20. nosey (1929) H. A. Vachell Virgin xviii. 280 ``I'm a pestering
> nosey-parkering, shilly-shallying sort of an idiot, eh? ''
> 21. nosey (1932) H. Williams in Hansard Commons CCLXII. 1359/2
> ``What I call the modern spirit of `nosey-parkerism' in
> legislation and administration. ''
> 22. nosey (1939) N. Marsh Overture to Death xi. 118 ``Asking
> questions..out of..nosey-parkerishness. ''
> 23. nosey (1947) T. H. White Mistress Masham's Repose xx. 150
> ```Good-bye.' `And none of your Nosey-Parkering.' ''
> 24. nosey (1958) E. Hyams Taking it Easy ii. iii. 195 ``Is
> Bachelor still connected with military intelligence, or
> security, or whatever fancy name they have for official
> nosey-parkering? ''
> 25. nosey (1961) Economist 4 Nov. 426/3 ``This kind of officious
> nosey-parkery gives the British immigration authorities a bad
> name. ''
> 26. nosey (1969) Daily Tel. 25 Apr. 18 ``Goodness knows what all
> this massive exercise in nosey parkerdom is costing in terms of
> printing, manpower, administration, etc. ''
> 27. nosey (1971) L. Lamb Worse than Death iii. 29 ``Mrs Marshman
> nosey-parked..in Mrs Marble's cupboard. ''
> 28. nosey (1974) D. Craig Whose Little Girl are You? i. 19 ``All
> nosey parkers in this street. ''
> 29. nosey (1975) H. R. F. Keating Remarkable Case ii. 25
> ``Tomorrow she would be out there in time, before all the
> noseys come out.''
> 30. noseyness (1941) Penguin New Writing X. 10, ``I do not think
> the men read these letters out of pure noseyness. ''
> 31. noseyness (1973) Daily Tel. 5 Oct. 17/3 ``Noseyness was the
> main motive; we always spent a lot of time speculating about
> other people's marriages. ''
> 32. nozzer (1962) Granville Dict. Sailors' Slang 82/2 ``Nozzer,
> new entry boy at the training establishment, HMS Ganges...
> These boys have been called nozzers..since the establishment
> opened, because the petty officer in charge was nicknamed
> `Nosey'.''
> 33. peeping (1933) Week-End Rev. 8 July 34/2, ``I can assure you
> that neither reporters nor sub-editors find satisfaction in
> playing the rô. le of Paul Pry or Nosey Parker or Peeping Tom.
> ''
> 34. pepper (1922) Joyce Ulysses 171 ``And here's himself and
> pepper on him, Nosey Flynn said. ''
> 35. plonk (1930) H. Williamson Patriot's Progress iv. 137 ``Nosey
> and Nobby shared a bottle of plinketty plonk, as vin blanc was
> called. ''