Middle English Dictionary Entry
turf n.
Entry Info
| Forms | turf n. Also turfe, torf, tourfe, (in cpd.) turve- & (N or NWM) ture, tore, toure & (early) turuf, (in cpd.) toref- & (in names) tur(v)-, turs-, torv-, torw-, tourv-, thurv-, thorf-, thorv-, thorw-; pl. turf(e)s, turves, etc. & turffes, torves, (errors) troves, corves. |
| Etymology | OE turf, pl.dat. turvum; for forms in -o- cp. OI torf & OE torfian. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A slab of earth cut from the surface of the soil with grass and roots adhering [quot. 1439-40 may belong to threve n.];—also coll.; (b) a clod of earth or dirt;—also coll.; also, a clod of earth used to indicate possession of property in freehold [quot. a1419]; (c) the top layer of earth; ~ of lond.
Associated quotations
a
- 1228 in Gras Eng.Cust.Syst.157 : Coopertura domorum turves et omnia talia consimilia non debent dare teoloneum.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)5.43,45 : Severus..wente into Bretayne and made wal of torfes and nouȝt of stones..he dalf up torves of þe grounde.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Mch.(Manly-Rickert)E.2235 : This kyng of fairye thanne a doun hym sette Vpon a bench of turues fressh and grene.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)7062 : He couthe thurgh his sleght Do maken vp a tour..Nought rought I whethir of stone or tree Or erthe or turves though it be.
- (1439-40) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9978 : Thome Cachesid pro 16 troves [?read: torves], 12 d.
- (1445) Doc.in HMC Rep.5 App.528a : Paid William Brownflet for rygyng the house with turfs.
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)123/4,5 : Eueryche turf of þicknes mot be half foot þicke..þese turfes..wel bounden togidre wiþ rootes of growynge he[r]bes moste ben yleide as men leggiþ waalstoon.
- c1450(c1386) Chaucer LGW Prol.(1) (Benson-Robinson)204 : In a litel herber that I have, That benched was on turves [vr. turffes] fressh ygrave, I bad men sholde me my couche make.
- c1450 Trin-C.LEDict.(Trin-C O.5.4)616/14 : Tersus: a turfh.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)1501,1503,1508 : Mak vp of turf a wale..A turf it is when gras & herbe is grave Vp with the grounde..But if the lond solute be, not herfore Turf like a brik to make of necessary, Thenne is to make a dike tumultuary.
- a1475 Hrl.Bk.Hawking in Studia Neoph.1620 : Eche day loke þat sche haue a grete turfe, for sche woll ligh þeron and defile it with here mutyng.
- a1500(1439) Lydg.Sts.AA (Lnsd 699)2857 : He [Heraclius] devoutly made a sepultur..He clowrid it with turvis fressh & greene.
- a1500 Treat.Hunt.(Cmb Ll.1.18)51/127 : Þan oweth he [leader of hounds] keruen a turf wher he stynt, as large as þe poyntyng is.
b
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)7682 : Vortigerne..ne belæfde him..a turf of londe.
- c1275(?c1250) Owl & N.(Clg A.9)1167 : Heruore hit is þat me þes huneþ An þe to torueþ & to buneþ Mid staue & stoone & turf & clute.
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)1612 : Þe nas so muche goed ygraunted wher-vpe þou [Christ] miȝttest deye, Ne a wrecche torf of þe eorþe, bote henge in þe eyr heye.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)1.339 : A torf of þat lond [Ireland] i-doo aboute a worme sleeþ hym.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)11824 : On his heued he has þe skalle..& wiþ skratting he toke þe skurf; he barked ouer as a turfe.
- (a1419) Let.Whitchurch in MLR 2274 : Jon Hullemore..went to Eddysley..and took ceson þere and broght a turfe in his hond in þe name of ceson & bar it to my lord..bisechyng him of his hye lordship þat he wold helpe him is ryght of Eddysley.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)822/25 : All the yonge men of that cite ran aftir sir Launcelot, and there they threwe turvis at hym.
c
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)2.15 : Vnder þe torf of þe lond is good marl i-founde.
- (a1460) Vegetius(2) (Pmb-C 243)532 : Delve vp the torf, have it togedir malled; Therof the wal be mad high.
2.
Soil, earth.
Associated quotations
- a1275 Wen þe turuf (Trin-C B.14.39)1 : Wen þe turuf is þi tuur & þi put is þi bour..Wat helpit þe þenne al þe worilde wnne?
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)24730 : We prai..þat we mai find hir sun [Christ] for frend, To ture [Frf: toure; Phys-E: tore] quen we sal turn.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)34a(1)/b : Incespito: to put foote in turfe.
3.
A piece of peat;—also coll.; also, a place where peat is dug, a turbary [quot. ?c1475].
Associated quotations
- (c1300) Havelok (LdMisc 108)939 : He bar þe turues, he bar þe star, Þe wode fro the brigge he bar.
- 1363 Cart.Cock.in Chet.n.s.3864 : Tenantz take theyr wod called estouers & delfe theyr turves in ye mosse & turbarye in Gayrstang & theyme carye & ber away.
- (1383) Inquis.Miscel.(PRO)4.128 : Turves [lying in a] stak [at Deynehethe].
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)761/25 : Frisones..makeþ fuyre of corues [read: torues] ful of glew and druy reþeren tordes.
- (1424) Indent.Furness in Chet.n.s.78 (PRO DL 25/398)773 : The which mosse, more, and pasture the said Richard has otherwhile claymet as his soile and freholde and otherwhile to have comyn of turbarye therein to the nombre of xiijxx and x cartfull of turfes.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)37/29 : Tythe owyth to be payed of all manere wode..of turbarye, of fewall, what-so-euere it be, broom or heeth, fyrsyn, or turves, or ony swych oþer fewall.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)131b : A turfe..terricidium.
- a1500 Lydg.HGS (Voss Germ.Gall.Q.9)121 : In wenter seson, for to make bele chere, Than is nede woode and turf [Lnsd: stuff; vr. cole].
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)8775 : Tree ne turf is not þe fire Þogh þei brenne neuere so shire.
4.
In cpds. and combs.: ~ dol, a turbary [quot. c1475]; also [1st quot.], ?a tax levied for the right to cut turf or peat; ?a payment made in lieu of cutting turf or peat as a manorial duty; ~ grafte, the legal right to cut turf or peat; also, a turbary [quot. ?c1475, 1st]; ~ gravinge, turf cutting; ~ gravere (man); ~ spade (iren; ~ yeld, a payment made for the liberty to cut turf or peat.
Associated quotations
- (c1280) Cust.Battle Abbey in Camd.n.s.4147 : Item, ij d. de Torefeld and festum Sancti Michaelis.
- (1304-6) Cust.Rent in OSSLH 254 : De v s. xi d. ob. de consuetudinibus vocatis turfdole, fermpenes [read: sermpenes].
- (1313) Deed Yks.in YASRS 5018 : [Grant..on the west to More Stanys and on Spitel More with] le turff graft [from either moor].
- (1411) RParl.3.650b : Touchyng the forsayd matere of Commune of Pasture and Turfgravyng the forsaid Lord Roos and Robert schall fullych stonde to the ordinance.
- (1446) Invent.Lytham in Chet.n.s.6084 : j lat axe, j gavelok, j tourfe spade yren.
- a1456(a1449) Lydg.Semblable (Ashm 59)71 : Þe turffman turff, þe ffenman [delvith] flagges; Þus every thing draweþe to his semblable.
- (c1475) Doc.in Bk.Brome (Brm)146 : Turve dollys lyth in..Brakyneholme.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)131b : Turfe grafte: Turbarium; Turfegrauer: glebarius, turbarius.
- (1477-8) Acc.R.Dur.in Sur.Soc.9995 : Pro j Turfspade, 8 d.
5.
In surnames and place names.
Associated quotations
- (1168) EPNSoc.3 (Bedf.& Hnt.)48 : Turuea.
- (1190-99) in Ekwall PNLan.215 : Thoruergh.
- (1202) in Ekwall PNLan.215 : Thorwerghe.
- (1246) in Ekwall PNLan.215 : Thorfergh, Torver(e)gh.
- (1252) in Ekwall PNLan.215 : Torweg.
- (1284) EPNSoc.3 (Bedf.& Hnt.)49 : Thurueye.
- (c1300) EPNSoc.14 (East Riding Yks.& York)91 : Tursker.
- (1315) Name in LuSE 79107 : Eust. del Turpet.
- (1327) in Reaney Dict.Br.Surnames358 : Stacia del Torfpet.
- (1347) EPNSoc.3 (Bedf.& Hnt.)49 : Tourveye.
- (1348) Name in LuSE 79107 : Eust. dyl Turpeyt.
- (1392) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)425 : Turfleigh.
- (1419) EPNSoc.7 (Sus.)425 : Turleigh.