Croust

nounShop talkMining

A traditional Cornish mining term for a mid-shift meal break.

The traditional mid-shift meal or snack break taken by miners, originating in the tin and copper mines of Cornwall. During croust, miners would typically eat a pasty, holding it by the thick crimped crust to avoid contaminating their food with arsenic or heavy metals from their unwashed hands.

Heard on the job

We'll finish timbering this section after croust, so grab your snap tins.

Also heard as

  • crib