nut-cutting time

English

Pronunciation

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Noun

nut-cutting time (uncountable)

1. The optimal time to gather nuts before they are seized by other animals or buried in snow.
   • 1951, Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science, volumes 26-27, page 20:

     The desire to follow traditions of hunting squirrel in Tennessee during mulberry season in June, and nut-cutting time in September, when squirrels concentrate, [...].

2. (idiomatic) Time to exert maximum effort, for example, due to an approaching deadline or a looming competitive situation.

Usage notes

• The association of the word nuts with testicles may limit the use of this idiom in formal settings, regardless of the source of the term.

See also

• crunch time