count noses

Idioms and Phrases

Also, count heads . Reckon up the number of those present. For example, The theater seemed only half-full, so the producer decided to count noses , or Our tour leader was always careful to count heads before the bus started off . This idiom was originally put as tell noses . [Mid-1600s]

Related Words

• calculate
• itemize
• recite
• specify
• spell out
• take account of