nosebleed seats (also nosebleed section)
colloquial phrase

- a common, tongue-in-cheek reference to having seats at the upper tiers of a stadium or theatre

- seats very high up in a stadium or theater, as for a sporting event, musical performance, play, etc., which typically cost less money but have a restricted view

Wikipedia / The Free Dictionary

—
PHRASE ORIGIN

The term “nosebleed seats” appeared in print as early as 1953 when it was used to describe the last row in the end zone at Philadelphia’s Municipal Stadium (later John F. Kennedy Stadium) during that year’s Army-Navy football game.

Nosebleed in the literal sense, “bleeding from the nose”, dates from the mid-19th century. The word was used as early as the 15th century as a common name (nosebleed plant) for Achillea millefolium, a herbal plant that was once used to stop the flow of blood.

—
SOME NOSEY IDIOMS

- count noses = to count the number of people in a group to ensure that everyone is present (Let’s count noses to see how many taxis we need to get to the event.)

- powder nose = to go to the bathroom, typically used by women (I’ll join you at the table in a minute, I just need to powder my nose.)

- follow your nose = to walk straight ahead; to follow one’s instinct (follow your nose to the end of the corridor. His office is on the right.)

- have a nose for something = to have an intuitive ability to detect or excel at something (He has a nose for determining which way the stock market is going to move.)

- on the nose = precisely accurate; exactly right (His predictions about the company’s collapse were right on the nose.)

- pay through the nose = pay an excessive amount for something (We paid through the nose for that vacation.)

- it’s no skin off my nose = it is no or very little concern of mine; it poses no difficulty, threat, or risk to me (It’s no skin off my nose if he wants to invest in crypto currency. It’s his own money.)

—
SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“Have you ever ended up in a NOSEBLEED SEAT and wondered why on earth you went to the show?”

—
THANKS to Denis for suggesting today’s OWAD.

—
Every month, the Smith-Family spends evening and weekend hours researching and writing your daily word.

OWAD has remained FREE, Ad-free, and alive thanks to kind donations from appreciative readers.

HERZLICHEN DANK if you are already supporting us. If not, please consider a single or recurring donation—even the equivalent of a single cup of coffee a month will help us cover mailing, site-hosting, and maintenance costs. Just head over to:

https://donorbox.org/please-become-a-friend-of-owad-5-2

or if you prefer to bank transfer:

Paul Smith, IBAN: DE75 7316 0000 0002 5477 40