night soil
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This strategy became necessary after an errant tomato plant sprouted from a visitor's night soil back in the 1960s.
From Scientific American • Oct. 19, 2023
Often in exchange for a fee paid to each household, farmers collected what was called night soil at regular intervals to fashion into fertile compost.
From Salon • Dec. 21, 2021
The problems of chamber pots — also known as “jerries, night soil, commodes, slop jars, close stools and thunder mugs” — also contributed to this noisome mix.
From Washington Post • Nov. 4, 2016
In China, the proverb said: “Treasure night soil as if it were gold.”
From The Guardian • Jul. 15, 2014
We mischievously overturned the buckets of excrement reeking by the entrance gate awaiting pickup by the night soil men, who seldom came.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
