A mahout mounts his elephant during the three-day elephant race at Chitwan National Park in Nepal. Picture: Navesh Chitrakar / Reuters
Today's Phrase
If something is 'on the nose', it is exactly right. The phrase is often used when talking about numbers or money, as shown in the examples.
Examples
A: How much do you think my new TV cost?
B: £300?
A: Yes, on the nose! It cost £300.
A: Your mother must be about 60 years old?
B: You got it on the nose. She's 60. But I don't think she looks that old.
Take note
Get up someone's nose. If someone or something gets up your nose, it annoys you.
Mary is always talking about her wonderful prize-winning dog. To be honest it gets up my nose.
It gets up my nose when people play their music loudly on public transport.
Interesting fact
A 'mahout' is someone who keeps and drives elephants for a living. Traditionally, mahouts are paired with elephants when both are at a young age and they grow up together, in many cases forming a lifelong bond.
