The figurative senses are metaphorical extensions from the literal sense of leading a livestock animal by grabbing itsnose ornose ring (with the latter hooked to alead) or by pushing its nose into feed or water to encourage it to eat or drink.
leadbythenose (third-person singular simple presentleads by the nose,present participleleading by the nose,simple past and past participleled by the nose)
- (idiomatic, figurative) To cause tofollowblindly.
- Synonym:lead around by the nose
1625,Francis [Bacon], “Of Suitors”, inThe Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret,→OCLC:let him choose well his referendaries , for else he may beled by the nose
1983 December 24, Eric E. Rofes, “On Growing Pains”, inGay Community News, volume11, number23, page 5:Because he was outorganized, Hutchinson cries foul. Sorry, but I simply cannot accept his view that Alliance members are mindless lackeyslead by the nose by the "leadership."
- (idiomatic, figurative) To lead byexample and painstakingexplanation, as one might do forremedial teaching.
- Coordinate term:spoon-feed
We had tolead some usersby the nose because they couldn't understand even the simplest instructions.
