The Shepherd's Sundial
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The scarlet pimper- nel, which opens at a little past seven in the morning and closes at a little past two. When rain is at hand, or the weather is unfavourable, it does not open at all.
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 “The Shepherd's Sundial” mean?
The scarlet pimper- nel, which opens at a little past seven in the morning and closes at a little past two. When rain is at hand, or the weather is unfavourable, it does not open at all.
Is “The Shepherd's Sundial” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.