What does "Keep your nose to the ground" mean?

Answer 1

This is a combining --either deliberately or by confusion-- of two expressions:

"Keep your EAR to the ground" and

"Keep your nose to the GRINDSTONE" (note the similarity even in how the last word starts "gr-nd"

The first refers to listening closely for any clue about something that's going on/coming your way, especially, "listen to/for information or rumors about something". It is based on the practice of placing one's ear close to the ground to hear something (The ground would better conduct the sound, so you could hear something far off, such as the approach of horses, that you could not hear simply through the air.)
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/keep+an+ear+to+the+ground
http://esl.about.com/library/glossary/bldef_390.htm

The second means "to keep working hard", though originally it referring to treating someone cruelly -
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/grindstone
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=grindstone&searchmode=none

The etymologies for the latter expression connect it to STUDENT life, so perhaps students coined it to indicate how difficult and even cruel they thought their work was.

Whoever combined the two was, again, probably confused or joking around. But if they really intended something by it, they likely mean it in something like the FIRST sense -- that is, LOOK closely for clues (like a dog, sniffing, trying to follow a scent).

Here's a list of a number of such melded, humorous expressions
http://www.almaden.ibm.com/u/kclarkson/bitethebull.html

Answer 2

Ear To The Ground Meaning

Answer 3

Keep your nose to the ground... like a blood hound.. sniffing for clues.. and discovering the answers.. Being aware..of finding the truth before anyone else..Also another saying keeping your nose to the grindstone.. Same thing..

Answer 4

It means to stay out of trouble i hope ur keeping ur nose clean

Answer 5

Continue to work hard at what ever task you are doing.

Answer 6

it means to be very alert