Roman nose

Roman nose (plural Roman noses)

1. An aquiline nose.
   • 1801, Jonathan Swift, “Reasons Humbly Offered to the Parliament of Ireland For Repealing the Sacramental Test in Favour of the Catholicks”, in The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, volume 5:

     Only we confess, the scar will probably remain and be visible for ever to those who know the principles by which they acted, and until those principles shall be openly renounced; else it must continue to all generations, like the mark set upon Cain, which some authors say descended to all his posterity: Or like the Roman nose and Austrian lip, or like the long bag of flesh hanging down from the gills of the people in Piedmont.

   • 1986, Johnny Marr, Morrissey, “Bigmouth Strikes Again”, in The Queen Is Dead, performed by The Smiths:

     Now I know how Joan of Arc felt / As the flames rose to her Roman nose