Look Down One’s Nose: To regard or treat someone with disdain.
This fun yet snobbish idiom paints an amusing picture of aristocratic impudence. 📜 One writer suggests that the term originates from an attitude of disapproving disdain—displayed by lowering the eyelids and looking downward, thereby focusing on one’s own nose. While this explanation doesn’t completely align with the typical body language (upturned chin, anyone?), it captures the spirit of mocking superiority splendidly.
John Galsworthy captured this contemptuous behavior perfectly in his work To Let (1921): “He went to look down his nose at them—it might give him some faint satisfaction.”
Related Expressions & Similar Terms
- Turn up one’s nose: Show disdain or disgust.
- Condescend: To exhibit a superior attitude.
- Snub: To ignore or spurn disdainfully.
- Sneer at: To show open contempt via facial expressions.
Synonyms
- Scorn
- Disdain
- Dismiss
- Deride
Antonyms
- Admire
- Respect
- Revere
Humor-Filled Quote:
“Nothing gets accomplished by looking down your nose, except eye strain.” — Nobody Famous 😜
Proverbs and References
- Proverb: “Pride comes before a fall.”
- Literature: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
- Songs: “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon.
- Movies: “Mean Girls” starring Lindsay Lohan, where looking down one’s nose is basically a plot device.
Inspirational Thought 💡
Let’s strive to uplift rather than disdain. Next time you feel the urge to look down your nose, instead, lend a hand or a kind word.
Farewell Thought: Embrace empathy over entitlement; remember that nobody benefited from selective haughtiness, but many have thrived through unassuming kindness.
Published by: Wellington Words
Publication Date: October 5, 2023
