sheep-cote

A shepherd leads his flock into the sheep-cote for the night.

Definition

Noun: A "sheep-cote" is an enclosed shelter or pen for sheep, typically a small building or fenced area used to house or protect them, especially at night or in bad weather.

Usage Examples

• (An enclosed shelter for sheep.)
• (Historic pens for sheep.)

Advanced Usage

• "to fold the sheep in the cote": to gather and enclose sheep in their shelter.
  • Every evening, the shepherd folds the sheep in the cote. (He puts them into the pen.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sheep-cot (n): an alternative spelling of sheep-cote, meaning the same.
  • The sheep-cot was built of timber and thatch. (A sheep shelter.)
• Sheepfold (n): a more common synonym; an enclosure for sheep.
  • The sheepfold was surrounded by a high fence. (A pen for sheep.)
• Cote (n): a shelter for animals, especially birds or sheep.
  • The dovecote housed many pigeons. (A shelter for birds.)

Synonyms

• Sheepfold: a pen or enclosure for sheep.
• Pen: a small enclosure for animals.
• Fold: an enclosure for domestic animals, especially sheep.

Related Idioms

• "to bring home the sheep to the cote": a pastoral idiom meaning to complete a task or return safely.
  • After a long day, the shepherd brought home the sheep to the cote. (He returned the flock to safety.)