paste-horn
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The nose. Shoemakers nickname any shopmate with a large nose "old PASTE-HORN," from the shape of the horn in which they keep their paste.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “paste-horn” mean?
The nose. Shoemakers nickname any shopmate with a large nose "old PASTE-HORN," from the shape of the horn in which they keep their paste.
Is “paste-horn” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.