lead by the nose
The idiom "lead by the nose" originates from the practice of controlling animals by their noses and is used to describe situations where someone is manipulated or controlled.
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Definition
C1General
(informal, idiomatic)To control or manipulate someone completely, often without their full awareness.
Example
- He was led by the nose into signing the contract without reading it.
- The politician led the public by the nose with false promises.
C1General
(informal, idiomatic)To guide someone in a way that leaves them with little autonomy or choice.
Example
- The strict teacher led the students by the nose, dictating every step of their project.
- She felt like she was being led by the nose in her new job, with no freedom to make her own decisions.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "lead by the nose":
lead astraylead onlead outlead with one's chinlead the waylead inlead offtake the leadtake for a rideunder someone's nosebring to heelhold one's nose