Daglock

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A clump of wool matted with dried dung and dirt that hangs from the hindquarters of a sheep
2. The dirt-caked tuft of fleece found on the rear end of a sheep, clotted with excrement
3. Wool stuck together with dung and mud, forming a filthy lock on the back legs of a sheep

Etymology: Sheep farmers gave the name "daglock" to something most people never think about: the matted clumps of dung and dirt that cling to the wool around a sheep's hindquarters. The word joins "dag", a shred or strip of cloth, to "lock", a tuft or length of hair. Each part carries a plain, physical sense, so the compound describes exactly what it looks like: a dangling lock of fleece, dirtied and tangled at the back end.