proverb · Words worth keeping
At twelfth-day the days are lengthened a cock's stride.
At twelfth-day the days are lengthened a cock's stride.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying pictures the days lengthening by a cock’s stride at Twelfth Day. A tiny animal movement stands for a modest seasonal change.
What the words are saying
The stride gives the change a concrete scale without measuring daylight. A responsible interpretation identifies the named calendar point and the image rather than adding a date, location or verified length. The wider analogy can value a small advance while acknowledging that actual changes need observation. The verse is seasonal lore, not an astronomical calculation.
Everyday example
A reader notices the modest-progress image without treating the stride as a measured amount of daylight.
When to use it
Use it to discuss a small seasonal change expressed through a metaphor.
What it does not mean
No universal daylight amount, calendar date or location is established here.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1680 · Twelfth day
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English