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turbary

[tur-buh-ree]
noun, plural tur·ba·ries.
  1. land, or a piece of land, where turf or peat may be dug or cut.
  2. Law. the right to cut turf or peat on a common land or on another person's land.
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Origin of turbary

1275–1325; Middle English turbarye < Medieval Latin turbāria, equivalent to turb(a) turf + -āria -ary1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for turbary

Historical Examples

  • The Pastor had a sort of turbary right, which supplied him with the latter.

    A Danish Parsonage

    John Fulford Vicary

  • The turbary cattle appear to have been a small variety of the Bos namadicus, somewhat dwarfed by drought and hardship.

  • It would be strange to my purpose to discuss the details of common of estovers, of turbary, or of fishery.

    Villainage in England

    Paul Vinogradoff

  • Turbary, tur′ba-ri, n. the right to go upon the soil of another and dig turf, and carry off the same: a place where peat is dug.

  • After some further discussion Mr. Hunter warned the people off his farm and declared their supposed "turbary" rights at an end.

    Disturbed Ireland

    Bernard H. Becker

British Dictionary definitions for turbary

turbary

noun plural -ries
  1. land where peat or turf is cut or has been cut
  2. Also called: common of turbary (in England) the legal right to cut peat for fuel on a common
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Word Origin

C14: from Old French turbarie, from Medieval Latin turbāria, from turba peat, turf
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012