cockshut time
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The evening, when fowls go to roost.
Era: ca. 1811 (Georgian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Grose’s Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue (1811 edition, public domain; Project Gutenberg #5402, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “cockshut time” mean?
The evening, when fowls go to roost.
Is “cockshut time” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.