A Nose — Dream Meaning

The nose is linked to instinct, curiosity and intrusion: "sniffing something out", being "nosy" or "following your nose". It sits in the middle of the face and so is closely tied to how we present ourselves. Nose dreams tend to reflect those ideas, along with the way we sense when something is right or wrong.

Smelling something strongly in a dream is unusual and memorable, because smell is rarely vivid in dreams. Pleasant smells often link to comfort or memory, such as baking, flowers or a loved one's scent; unpleasant ones to sensing that something is wrong, that "something smells off" in a situation.

A growing nose, as in Pinocchio, is a clear image of lies, yours or someone else's. It can also mirror guilt about something half-told, or suspicion of a person who is not being straight with you.

A nosebleed can reflect stress, or feeling drained. A broken or injured nose may point to a blow to pride or a sudden, humbling moment.

Someone's nose in your business suggests feeling intruded on, while your own nose poking into things may reflect curiosity or guilt about prying. Being caught eavesdropping or snooping can show worry about having crossed a line.

A blocked nose may simply reflect a real cold, or feeling unable to sense what is going on. A nose that suddenly smells everything may suggest heightened intuition or sensitivity.

An unusually large, small or missing nose can reflect self-consciousness about appearance, which is very common and often says more about worry than about how you actually look.

Phrases such as "keep your nose clean", "turn your nose up", "on the nose" and "led by the nose" show how many ideas about behaviour hang on this one feature, and dreams often use them directly.

What is your instinct telling you right now?

Related dreams include Eyes, A Mouth, A Head, Blood and Teeth.