turn it nose up

English translation: to show disdain

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:to turn one's nose up
Selected answer:to show disdain
Entered by: Tony M

17:22 Dec 4, 2014
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / turn it nose up
English term or phrase: turn it nose up
If we discount the dandyhorse, it sounds more like an Anglo-French design project, of which there have been many since. The most famous, of course, was Concorde, the supersonic passenger jet with tilting aerodynamic cockpit cone, designed, I am told, so the French plane could turn it nose up when it arrived at a British airport.
sunny20101211
China
show disdain
Explanation:
The correct expression is "to turn its nose up", and it means to express one's disdain — the original idea is when one raises one's head slightly (so that the nose is higher than usual) and simultaneously looks down on something, in order to show one's contempt / disregard / disdain for something.

The allusion here is to the traditional French rivalry with the British, their "traditional enemies" — so the image is of the French plane "turning its nose up" when landing in Britain.

Of course, this is just a joke; in fact, the technciial reason is quite the reverse: Concorde had to have its nose UP for supersonic flight (to reduce drag), but the nose had to be lowered so the pilot could see the ground when landing and taking off.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 15:40
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +4show disdain
Tony M
2snub
Phoenix III


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
snub


Explanation:
Both a play on words as well as literally, once it landed it the cockpit (nose) would rest upwards. The idea was to snub the British.

Phoenix III
United States
Local time: 10:40
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in SpanishSpanish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: In fact, technically, it's the other way round.
3 mins
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13 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
turn its nose up
show disdain


Explanation:
The correct expression is "to turn its nose up", and it means to express one's disdain — the original idea is when one raises one's head slightly (so that the nose is higher than usual) and simultaneously looks down on something, in order to show one's contempt / disregard / disdain for something.

The allusion here is to the traditional French rivalry with the British, their "traditional enemies" — so the image is of the French plane "turning its nose up" when landing in Britain.

Of course, this is just a joke; in fact, the technciial reason is quite the reverse: Concorde had to have its nose UP for supersonic flight (to reduce drag), but the nose had to be lowered so the pilot could see the ground when landing and taking off.

Tony M
France
Local time: 15:40
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  B D Finch
13 mins
  -> Thanks, B! :-)

agree  Jack Doughty
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Jack!

agree  Tina Vonhof (X)
8 hrs

agree  airmailrpl: and the English and the USA saved France's butt in WWII
20 hrs
  -> Thanks, airmail! I think right now that is being seen as soemthing of a mixed blessing... but better not get into politics, eh? ;-)
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