{"id":10598,"date":"2022-11-16T22:16:38","date_gmt":"2022-11-16T22:16:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=10598"},"modified":"2022-11-16T22:16:38","modified_gmt":"2022-11-16T22:16:38","slug":"keep-your-nose-clean-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/keep-your-nose-clean-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Keep Your Nose Clean \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you looking for a way to tell a friend they have to keep out of trouble? You could ask them to \u201ckeep their nose clean<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

This post explores the meaning and origin of the curious idiom \u201ckeep your nose clean\u201d and shows you how to use the phrase in a sentence.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

\u201cKeep your nose clean<\/strong>\u201d is an American idiom that warns people to stay out of trouble and live a moral life<\/u>.<\/p>\n

The phrase represents the natural linguistic evolution of the significantly older British saying, \u201ckeep your hands clean.\u201d This phrase has the same meaning.<\/p>\n

\u201cKeeping one\u2019s nose clean\u201d originally meant living a life as free of sin as possible. However, it has gradually come to be associated with criminals and drug users who attempt to stay on the right side of the law.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

Would you like to use the idiom \u201ckeep your nose clean\u201d in a sentence? Make sure you get it right and check these examples first:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \u201cJames used to be a drug addict and burglar. He even robbed a liquor store once. He has done his time, though, and I assure you he is keeping his nose clean <\/strong>these days.\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u201cYour first job is always the hardest. Do you want my advice? Do whatever the boss asks you and make sure it\u2019s done right. Keep your nose clean<\/strong> and don\u2019t stir up any trouble, and you\u2019ll move up the ladder in no time.\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u201cIf you want to keep your nose clean<\/strong>, you must stop hanging out with those troublemakers. You know they\u2019ll drag you down with them.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Origin<\/h2>\n

    The American idiom \u201ckeep your nose clean<\/strong>\u201d originated in 18th<\/sup> century Britain<\/strong> as \u201ckeep your hands clean<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The moral authorities of the time, the clergy, used this expression to encourage people to live morally \u2014\u00a0 free from sin and corruption. While clergymen wouldn\u2019t have dared to spell it out in the 1700s, \u201ckeeping your hands clean\u201d was almost certainly a warning against masturbating.<\/p>\n

    One of the earliest references to \u201ckeeping one\u2019s hands clean\u201d dates back to 1711<\/strong>, when a series of sermons was published in a pamphlet titled The Golden Remains of the Ever Memorable Mr. John Hales<\/em>. This booklet contained the following passage:<\/p>\n

    \u201c...let him have all Graces that are, piety only excepted, let him wear out himself with Studies, pine himself with Temperance, keep his Hands clean from Corruption<\/strong>, his Heart from unchaste Desires.\u201d<\/p>\n

    As expression emerged in the United States, \u201chands\u201d were replaced with \u201cnose.\u201d This may be related to \u201csticking your nose in\u201d or \u201cbeing nosy,\u201d meaning being excessively curious about other people\u2019s affairs.<\/p>\n

    Being nosy can certainly cause trouble and controversy, which someone trying to keep their nose clean wants to avoid at all costs.<\/p>\n

    The phrase \u201ckeep your nose clean\u201d is now strongly associated with ex-convicts, but it was not always that way. An 1881<\/strong> reference from a newspaper called The Globe<\/em> associated keeping one\u2019s nose clean with attending Sunday school.<\/p>\n

    Phrases Similar to Keep Your Nose Clean<\/h2>\n

    Instead of \u201ckeep your nose clean,\u201d you can also say:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • Keep your head down.<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Stay out of trouble.<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Stay on the straight and narrow <\/strong>\u2014 meaning don\u2019t break the law.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Phrases Opposite to Keep Your Nose Clean<\/h2>\n

      The opposite of keeping your nose (or hands) clean would be:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • To dirty your hands <\/strong>\u2014 meaning to engage in illegal or immoral activities.<\/li>\n
      • To have a run-in with the law<\/strong> \u2014 getting caught committing a crime.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        What Is the Correct Saying?<\/h2>\n

        The correct saying is \u201ckeep your nose clean<\/strong>.\u201d The phrase means staying out of trouble and living a moral life.<\/p>\n

        Ways People May Say Keep Your Nose Clean Incorrectly<\/h2>\n

        Some people may associate the phrase \u201ckeep your nose clean\u201d with cocaine use, given that users snort this drug and the idiom is closely tied to criminal behavior. However, the idiom predates cocaine and has a more general meaning.<\/p>\n

        Acceptable Ways to Phrase Keep Your Nose Clean<\/h2>\n

        You can ask someone who has been in trouble to make an effort to keep their nose clean. You could also tell people you are working hard to keep your nose clean.<\/p>\n

        Remember that \u201ckeep your nose clean\u201d is often associated with crime. If you simply want to stay out of trouble, it is better to say that instead.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Are you looking for a way to tell a friend they have to keep out of trouble? You could ask them to \u201ckeep their nose clean.\u201d This post explores the meaning and origin of the curious idiom \u201ckeep your nose clean\u201d and shows you how to use the phrase in a sentence. Meaning \u201cKeep your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10598"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10598"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10600,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10598\/revisions\/10600"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}