keep your nose clean

keep (one's) nose clean

To behave properly; to stay out of trouble. You better keep your nose clean, kid, or you're going to run into trouble you can't handle.
See also: clean, keep, nose
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

keep your nose clean

INFORMAL
If you keep your nose clean, you behave well and avoid trouble. He'd worked hard and kept his nose clean for all those years. He told me to keep my nose clean and my mouth shut.
See also: clean, keep, nose
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

keep your nose clean

stay out of trouble. informal
See also: clean, keep, nose
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

keep your ˈnose clean

(informal) do nothing that will get you into trouble with the police or other authorities: After he came out of prison, he was determined to keep his nose clean.
See also: clean, keep, nose
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

keep your nose clean

Stay out of trouble. This slangy phrase began to be heard in Britain in the late nineteenth century and crossed the Atlantic soon afterward. Why cleanliness should be invoked is not known. Presumably keeping one’s nose clean would be equivalent to not dirtying it by poking it into someone else’s business (see poke one’s nose into). Anyhow, the term was very common by the 1940s, when it appeared in such popular novels as Manning Long’s False Alarm (1943): “Keep your nose clean and you’ll keep out of trouble.”
See also: clean, keep, nose
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • keep (one's) nose clean
  • keep nose clean
  • keep one’s nose clean
  • keep one's nose clean
  • you could eat off the floor(s)
  • clean (someone or something) out of (something)
  • clean out of
  • clean-up operation
  • operation
  • clean out
References in periodicals archive
'Keep your nose clean' - which entails making a donation and receiving a car valet, 'what do you nose about Kia?' - includes customers being invited to answer a question regarding Kia with those taking part also being in with a chance of winning a cash prize, are just a couple of fundraising activities staff have lined up.
Jennings Kia gears up to do something funny for money; DEALER TALK: Jennings Motor Group
"Keep your nose clean, get rid of drugs and I think you will have a future."
FIVE YEARS AFTER FIFTH ROBBERY; Teen is locked up after robbery
"He told me, 'You've got to keep your nose clean. It's not the sort of image you want to portray'.
I WAS A FOOL; RUGBY U: SINNING SAINT SPEAKS OUT Foden pledges never to repeat his shame
It won't appear on criminal checks, and if you keep your nose clean for the next two years that will be it.
ASBOS: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The High Bailiff told him: "If you keep your nose clean there's no danger of you going to prison."
Macca free .. by a nose
A Keep your nose clean and you will have nothing to worry about.
DR. JOBS; CAREER CLINIC
The key to success here is to keep your nose clean, and make sure that you are always among the top-three fastest drivers on every stage."
Rallying: Richard can Burn up rivals
No point looking for themes links or messages (except maybe work hard, don't keep your nose clean), this was pure Hello!
Everyday tales of filthy lucre
And if you think constitutional guarantees would protect your privacy as long as you keep your nose clean, you haven't been reading the key recovery proposals Congress is considering.
Clipping encryption
LEE Hendrie has been told - keep your nose clean and you'll reach the top.
Gregory's pearl told to tread careful-Lee
KEEP YOUR NOSE CLEAN Andy Carroll (above) has been warned by Newcastle legend Shearer (below) to beware off-pitch scrapes
ANDY CAN MAKE IT BIGG; NEWCASTLE STAR ON RISE
Meantime, do not try to justify what you did and, hopefully, if you keep your nose clean, you wife might eventually forgive you for your stupidity - but I wouldn't bank on it if I were you.
I snogged my 16-year-old niece
It's all very easy for people to say 'keep your nose clean' and trot out all the old clichAs.
Football: It's time to wise-up, Gold tells Pennant; OUR MAN AT BLUES
The judge told him: "Keep your nose clean and don't come back."
Armed robbery driver spared prison
Keep your nose clean, and you might just make it back in.
Joey Barton