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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Nos(e, Nois, n. Also: noise, noys(e, nosse. [ME. and e.m.E. nos(e, noose (14th c.), nosse (c 1600), OE.nosu fem. (Cf. also Nese.)] 1. The nose of a person or animal.(a) c1475 Wall. ix. 1928.
His noys was squar and tret a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 158.
Out of his nois the meldrop fast can rin c1500-c1512 Dunb. liv. 8.
Quhou hir schort catt nois vp skippis c1420 Wynt. i. 718 (W).
In steid of noyse [v.rr. nes, nesse] and mouth 1535 Stewart 40878.
Hir lustie lippis and hir nois also c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3123.
Oxin hydis … With mouth and nois, teith, eris and eine 1560 Rolland Seven S. 5668.
He pullit the herb … And at his nois the sawer thairof did smeil 1593 Edinb. B. Rec. V. 85. 1623 Perth Kirk S. MS. 3 July.
Gif he war nocht in the place of a reader he waild thraw his nois 1626 Banff Ann. I. 54. 1642 E. Loth. Antiq. Soc. II. 145.(b) 1627 Linlithgow B. Rec. 22 July.
Maist wrangouslie bleiding the said William in the nos 1650 Stirling Ant. IV. 157.
To the kowes nose 1662 Crim. Trials III. 605.

b. In various phrases and collocations, and in proverbs.To put a prik thruch another's nose or (to have) a prik in (into) one's nose, appar. in allusion to a pin or skewer set in the nose of an animal (such as a bull or a boar), by which to control or lead it. Nose of wax, see Nese n. 1 b.(1) c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlii. 81.
Thrucht Skornes nos thai put a prik This he wes banist 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7582.
Thairs ȝit sum graith to find Ane prick into ȝour nois a1585 Polwart Flyt. 57 (T).
With ane prik in to thy nois [H. nosse] To stand content, I sall coniure thé(2) 1589 Reg. Privy C. IV. 429.
Remembering quhat … injust burding he dalie beiris for leiding me be the noyse as it wer to all his appetytis as giff I wer … a barne(3) a 1599 Rollock Wks. II. 646.
The cause … is not of the Scripture, as if it were doubtsome, hard, obscure, or as a nose of wax, as they blaspheme; but … in the blindnes of the mind(4) 1570 Sat. P. x. 183.
Than come ȝour King … And reft him [Rizzio] from hir in spyte of his nois [:fois] 1573 Sempill Ib. xxxix. 40.
In spyt of all thair nois [:fois, gois, pois] a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xl. 49.
Ȝit I will on hir permanence repose In spyte of Fortuns nose(5) 1584 Sempill Sat. P. xlv. 82.
To tell how he bestowit his poise The faice is weill sene on his noise For, be his craig, ye may weill ken Gif he be ane of Bacchus men a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1489.
They may ken be his nose quhat potage he loves

2. The socket on a candle-holder which receives the candle.Late ME. and e.m.E. (1431–1577). 1683 Inv. in Moray Mun. 17 (9–10 May).
Tuo gilded sconces without noses