local. [Deriv. obscure: some associate it with cote in dove-cote, bell-cote.] To slope back the upper part of the gable of a house, the end of a hay-rick, etc., so as to form a ‘pavilion’ or ‘tabernacle’ roof. Hence Cooted, ppl. a., Cooting, vbl. sb.
1813. Davis, Agric. Wilts 258–263 (in Archæol. Rev. Mch. 1838). Hay-ricks are … sometimes oblong with cooted ends, not gable ends.
1892. Correspt. at Mere, Wilts. A rick or cottage has its ends ‘cooted’ or ‘cooted in,’ when instead of being carried up perpendicularly to the ridge, they are so carried up only to the same height as the side-walls, and then sloped back. Sometimes the ends are carried perpendicularly to a greater height than the sides, and then sloped back: this is called half-cooting.… Gable-end ricks are rarely seen here, the general practice being to coot them in.
