Middle English Dictionary Entry
āker n.(1)
Entry Info
| Forms | āker n.(1) Also acre. |
| Etymology | OE æcer. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) A piece of arable land, a field; acre-lond, arable land, a field; (b) in proverbs; (c) in names.
Associated quotations
a
- ?1316 SMChron.(Roy 12.C.12)16 : In al this londe On aker lond [Add: acre of londe] ther nes yfounde, Ne toun ne houses never on..Ah al wes wode ant wildernesse.
- a1400 Cart.Ramsey in RS 79.3260 : De tresdecim acrelandis, sex meliores reddunt octodecim solidos, et quaeque de septem dat viginti denarios.
- (a1400) Doc.in HMC Rep.6 App.233 : [All the customaries of the manor..of the tenure of] Worklond [and] Acrelond.
- c1425 Liber de Hyda in RS 45233 : Fro the lynch to the long furlang westward; than to the lytyl aker westward; fro that aker to fuldych.
- (1442) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 7118 : For ij akerys of londe yt we bowte..for the sedde to ye same akerys, ix bochellys of barley.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)339/13 : Euyryche of the wyche acris conteynyth foure perchys in brede.
b
- a1131 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1130 : Man seið to biworde, hæge sitteð þa aceres dæleth.
- ?a1300(c1250) Prov.Hend.(Dgb 86)st.39 : Heye he sit, þat akeres [vr. acris] deleþ.
c
- (1197-8) Anc.Chart.in Pipe R.Soc.10106 : Una acra terre..que appellatur Mulaker.
- a1500(1337) Cart.Boarstall in OHS 88173 : Quendam boscum vocatum Acremele.
- -?- Doc.in Robertson Hist.Essays (1872)90 : Unam acram et dimidiam terræ, scilicet Langenekre.
2.
A land measure of 160 rods square (though actually varying in size, both regionally and in time), usually described as 40 rods (= 1 furlong) long and 4 rods wide; half-acre.
Associated quotations
- a1126 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1124 : Acer sæd hwæte, þæt is twegen sed læpas..acer sæd aten, þæt is feower sed læpas.
- (c1155) Doc.in Archaeol.71 ()204 : Sexaginta acras terre..que vocantur Hardacres.
- a1250(?c1150) Prov.Alf.(Mdst A.13)99 : Þoh man hauede hundt seuenti akeres.
- (c1250) in Madox Form.Angl.(1702)159 : Et dimidietatem de Sortehalf acre, quæ abuttat super Holelane.
- c1330 Body & S.(5) (Auch)p.30 : Of alle þi lond an acre or tvain.
- (1375) Award Blount in ORS 7205 : A filde Callid Chalkespittfilde conteynyng xxvjti acris.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)6.108 : To erie þis halue acre holpyn hym manye.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)1 Kings 14.14 : The half party of an akir that a peyre of oxen in a day is wont to ere.
- (1427) Doc.in Flasdieck Origurk.68 : Thre acres of medewe yn the town of Sawtre.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)8 : Akyr of londe: Acra.
- (1443) Acc.St.Mary Thame in BBOAJ 829 : For fellyng ij akerys of barlyche..And for caryage of ye same ij akerys home.
- (a1461) Stonor1.55 : In vj score acre of lond and mede.
- (1473) RParl.6.82a : C acres of Land, xl acres of Mede, d acres of Pasture, ccc acres of Mareis.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)2a : An Aker of lande: acra, jugus, juger, jugerum.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)41 : Howe many acres off land þat a ploughe may tyll in a yere.
- a1500 Henley Husb.(Sln 686)44 : xvj fote and a halfe makithe a perche, & fourti perchis in lengthe & foure in brede makithe a acre off londe, & iiij acres makithe a yerde of londe.
3.
Combs. (a) aker brede, width of an acre (= 4 rods); (b) ~ geve, a rent based on the acre; (c) ~ lengthe, length of an acre (= a furlong); (d) ~ man, q.v.; (e) ~ reve, field reeve; (f) ~ staf, plow staff (for removing earth from the moldboard); (g) ~ streng, ?measuring tape.
Associated quotations
a
- c1330(?a1300) Guy(2) (Auch)p.596 : Into þe feld it ȝede Þe mountaunce of an acre brede, Er þat it wald abide.
b
- a1400 Cust.Rent in OSSLH 2105 : De auxilio franci plegii xij s. Akergeve iiij li.
c
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)971 : Þe frensche men þai made reculle wel an akers lengþe.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4699 : Wyþ-inne þe ȝeate an acres lengþe.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2770 : Þay dryuen hem aȝen an aker lengþe.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)3849 : With þe lussche of þe launce he lyghte one hys schuldyrs, Ane akere-lenghe one a launde.
e
- (1333) in Thuresson ME Occup.Terms104 : Joh. le Akerreue.
f
- c1300 SLeg.(LdMisc 108)425/182 : Euer-ech with swuch-manere wepne ase huy uyseden here a-liue, plouȝ-Man with his Aker-staf.
- c1350 Cmb.Ee.4.20.Nominale (Cmb Ee.4.20)860 : Mallet et mundiloun: Betul and akirstaf.
g
- (1399) Acc.R.Lane in Archaeol.58350 : Acrestrenges.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1466) Acc.Howard in RC 57326 : Also I have ȝeven to John Hamondes wyffe iiij. hakeres of wete that was ȝeven me in Horkesley be the wedow.
Note: New spelling
- (1360) Doc.in HMC Rep.6 App.233b : [All the..customary tenants of] Worklond, Acrelond..[shall be quit of all rents and customs except tallage].
Note: !Quot. that is very similar already used under 1.(a)
Note: Mod. gloss: akerlond is a holding for unfree tenants, not just our 'arable field'
- a1126 Peterb.Chron.(LdMisc 636)an.1124 : Acer sæd hwæte, þæt is twegen sed læpas..acer sæd aten, þæt is feower sed læpas.
Note: !Quot. already used under 2.
Note: New phrase: ~ sed = enough seed to seed an acre. See B.T. Suppl. p. 10