Thumb one's Nose
To express contempt and/or disregard.
Origin / Etymology
The expression originates from a gesture consisting of placing a thumb on the nose with fingers spread open and simultaneously moving them rapidly back and forth.
Examples
My brother thumbed his nose in reply to my snide remarks.
Richard Feynman delighted in thumbing his nose at bureaucracy.
Meanings from the English-Bulgarian dictionary:
Thumb [θʌm] – thumb.
Nose [nouz] – nose.
More English idioms
English slang
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