nose tax
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
It is said that in the 9th century the Danes imposed a poll tax in Ireland, and that this was called the "Nose Tax," because those who neglected to pay were punished by having their noses slit.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “nose tax” mean?
It is said that in the 9th century the Danes imposed a poll tax in Ireland, and that this was called the "Nose Tax," because those who neglected to pay were punished by having their noses slit.
Is “nose tax” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.