bull's nose

noun

1. bullnose ( def 1 ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of bull's nose¹

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

A bulky secretary desk from the nineteenth century transformed into a bull, the sides of the disassembled drawers forming muscled legs, the cast-iron knobs of its drawer pulls serving as the bull’s nose and eyes and glinting balls, a handful of pens from inside the desk fanned out into the crescents of horns.

From Literature

The horse doctor had been trying to vaccinate the bull in the neck, but the rope through the ring in the bull’s nose didn’t keep the bull from tossing his head from side to side, knocking the horse doctor against the side of the chute.

From Literature

Like a horse’s bit or the ring in a bull’s nose, it suggests a device by which the great beast might be controlled were it to come to unruly life.

From New York Times

Cherrington points out that a bull’s nose, which has the profile of a half circle, is also a timeless favorite and functional winner.

From Architectural Digest

Then he stuck his fingers in the bull’s nose, grabbed its nose ring, and jerked its head up high.

From The New Yorker