English Idiom – No skin off my nose.
Meaning – To not care about something because it will not affect you. It doesn’t bother me or it makes no difference to me. This idiom is used to let somebody know that you don’t care because the situation does not affect you in any way.
In American the idiom No skin off my (back) teeth is sometimes used instead.
According to BookBrowse this expression originated from the sport of boxing. Imagine a light punch landing on the nose inflicting little damage; such a punch is unlikely to bother the boxer.
Don’t get confused with the similar idiomatic expression by the skin of your teeth which is used when you only just manage to achieve something.
Usage:
When could you use this idiom?
- If someone is pushing you to do something (that you don’t care about) in a certain way.
- Somebody is taking a risk doing something, but the outcome doesn’t affect you.
- A person wants to take control of an event or situation that you are not particularly interested in.
- You are trying to help a person who doesn’t want to take your advice.
Example:
- “You can ignore my advice and do it your way if you want. It’s no skin off my nose.”
In The News:
Joe Lycett’s £10k shredding stunt is no skin off Beckham’s nose – but who cares?
Discuss:
- Is there an idiom like this in your country?
What is an idiom?
An idiom is a word or phrase that is not taken literally. An idiom is an expression that cannot be understood from the meanings of its individual words, but has a separate meaning of its own.
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