night soil
Human faeces; especially, such waste as has recently been added to an outhouse or dry…Human faeces; especially, such waste as has recently been added to an outhouse or dry closet and will need removal.
Meaning
1 senses(archaic, euphemistic, uncountable)Human faeces; especially, such waste as has recently been added to an outhouse or dry closet and will need removal.
ночно́е зо́лотоnočnóje zóloto
- human excreta used as fertilizer
Translations
2 languagesOrigin
At least notionally because such soil was removed at night by nightmen, and because chambeAt least notionally because such soil was removed at night by nightmen, and because chamberpots were needed especially at night (when one, in one's nightgown, might be less disposed to leave the house for the outhouse); but the general taboo around human excrement encourages euphemism, and any word in the allusive range of the night–dark–black–bad archetypes might serve as well as another for the purpose; thus, compare blackwater.
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Word family
2 related wordsLessons for this word
1 lessons- A1Countable and uncountable nouns — Because it can be uncountable