thumb one's nose

Idioms and Phrases

Express scorn or ridicule. For example, I'm sure the members of the school committee thumb their noses at any suggestion we make . This expression alludes to the traditional gesture of contempt, that is, placing the thumb under the nose and wiggling the fingers. [c. 1900]

Example Sentences

“What a way to thumb one’s nose at French bashing! #ProudofFrance.”

From New York Times

Goofs and pranks suddenly became a way to blow off steam, thumb one's nose at campus administration, and indulge creative thinking and behavior stifled by the Institute's rigorous undergraduate curriculum.

From Project Gutenberg