blow your nose

Meaning

This expression means to clear mucus from your nose by expelling air through it into a tissue or handkerchief. It is a common daily hygiene action, especially when someone has a cold or allergies.

Examples

• Excuse me, I need to go blow my nose.

  Excuse me, I need to go blow my nose.

• Here is a tissue if you need to blow your nose.

  Here is a tissue if you need to blow your nose.

• He had to blow his nose constantly during the spring allergy season.

  He had to blow his nose constantly during the spring allergy season.

• You should wash your hands after you blow your nose.

  You should wash your hands after you blow your nose.

• She stepped out of the meeting for a moment to blow her nose.

  She stepped out of the meeting for a moment to blow her nose.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to clean my nose with a tissue.

  ✓ I need to blow my nose.

  'Clean my nose' sounds unnatural or overly literal. 'Blow your nose' is the standard, polite idiom.

• ✗ He blew his nose into his hands.

  ✓ He blew his nose into a tissue.

  Always make sure to use a hygienic tool like a tissue or handkerchief, and describe it as such in English.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Could you pass me the box of tissues? I need to ___.

  💡 Clear mucus from your nose.

  Show answer

  blow my nose

• He went to the bathroom to ___ because of his allergies.

  💡 Change the pronoun to match 'he'.

  Show answer

  blow his nose