[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/nous/)

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# nous

noun (nous, uncountable; UK, Ireland, Australia, informal); also French pronoun (nous)

«nous» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (UK, Ireland, Australia, informal) Nous means common sense and practical cleverness: knowing what to do in real life. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/#m1)
2. (philosophy) In old Greek thinking, nous meant the mind or reason. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/#m2)
3. (French) «Nous» is the French word for «we» or «us»; it sounds like «noo» and is not an English word. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/#m3)

### In the lessons

In everyday British and Australian talk, someone with nous is sensible and quick to work things out: «He had the nous to call for help». It rhymes with «house» in English (NOWSS). In French lessons «nous» is the «we» form: «nous sommes» = we are, «nous avons» = we have. Phrases: «a bit of nous», «business nous», «the nous to…».

### Examples

- Use a bit of nous and take a coat — it's freezing! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/#x1)
- She had the nous to write the number plate down. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/#x2)
- That footballer has real football nous. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/#x3)
- The little lad showed great nous by finding his way home. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/#x4)
- In French, «nous sommes amis» means «we are friends». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/#x5)
- «Nous» in French sounds like «noo», with a silent s. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/#x6)
- Ancient Greek thinkers said nous was the part of us that understands. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/#x7)
- Nous n’irons plus au bois, Les lauriers sont coupés, [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/#x8)

### Note

English «nous» is uncountable: «a bit of nous», never «nouses». It is informal and not used much in the USA. Trap: the English word rhymes with «house», but the French «nous» sounds like «noo»; they mean different things (common sense vs we).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «nous» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/N/nous/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«nous» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/nous.html) on Mova free.