have (one's) nose in the air
To have a haughty, condescending, or disdainful manner. No one in the neighborhood cares for the Smiths. It always seems like they have their noses in the air whenever they're socializing with us. You're not going to make many friends at your new school having your nose in the air like that. When the CEO is in the office, he always has his nose in the air, as if he's better than all us peons who do the actual work in the company.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
have one's nose in the air
Fig. to be conceited or aloof. Mary always seems to have her nose in the air. I wonder if she knows that she has her nose in the air.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
nose in the air, have one's
Be haughty or disdainful, as in
Ever since we moved in, our next-door neighbor has had her nose in the air. The related phrase
with one's nose in the air means "haughtily," as in
She thinks she's so smart; she's always walking around with her nose in the air. Also see
turn up one's nose at.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.