turf

[turf]

noun

plural

turfs ,

plural

turves .

1. a layer of matted earth formed by grass and plant roots.

2. peat, especially as material for fuel.

3. a block or piece of peat dug for fuel.

4. Slang.

   1. the neighborhood over which a street gang asserts its authority.

   2. a familiar area, as of residence or expertise.

      Denver is her turf. When you talk literature you're getting into my turf.

5. Chiefly British.,  a piece cut or torn from the surface of grassland; sod.

6. the turf,

   1. the track over which horse races are run.

   2. the practice or sport of racing horses.

verb (used with object)

1. to cover with turf or sod.

2. British Slang.,  to remove from a desirable office or position; expel; kick out.

   He was turfed from leadership of the group.

turf

/ tɜːf /

noun

1. the surface layer of fields and pastures, consisting of earth containing a dense growth of grasses with their roots; sod

2. a piece cut from this layer, used to form lawns, verges, etc

3. 1. a track, usually of grass or dirt, where horse races are run

   2. horse racing as a sport or industry

4. slang,  the territory or area of activity over which a person or group claims exclusive rights

5. an area of knowledge or influence

   he's on home turf when it comes to music

6. another term for peat 1

7. informal,  to be an unavoidable part of a particular situation or process

verb

1. (tr) to cover with pieces of turf

Other Word Forms

• turfless adjective
• turflike adjective
• returf verb (used with object)
• unturfed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of turf¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English, cognate with Dutch turf, German Torf (from Low German ), Old Norse torf, akin to Sanskrit darbha “tuft of grass”; turbary

Word History and Origins

Origin of turf¹

Old English; related to Old Norse torfa , Old High German zurba , Sanskrit darbha tuft of grass

Example Sentences

While groundskeepers in Europe can pamper pitches until they look like Augusta National, all of the U.S. stadiums hosting World Cup matches are designed for American football, which typically features artificial turf.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

And, barring a stunning comeback, McIlroy will have the best possible response to the peanut gallery: for the second time in his career, he’ll have won the Ryder Cup on American turf.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

But they still had to watch Team Europe celebrate on their home turf.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

“Everybody’s got their jurisdictional and functional turf within government,” he said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

For a youth-led party, losing on their home turf has raised questions about their prospects in the national election.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• earth 
• grass 
• ground 
• sod 
• soil 
• terrain 
• territory 
• track 

When To Use

What does turf mean?

Turf is the top layer of a grassy area consisting of a kind of mat of grass and its roots. It’s the layer you could cut out and pull up in one piece.Such pieces are in fact pulled up and used to form lawns. This is also called turf. A close synonym is sod. Artificial turf is a surface that’s supposed to resemble a grassy surface, such as is sometimes used on sports fields. A name for one kind of this is Astroturf.Turf is also a term for the area that a gang claims as its exclusive territory. This sense of turf can also be used more casually to refer to a physical or figurative area that one claims as one’s own, such as an area of expertise, as in Advertising is my turf, so please stick to accounting. This use of the word turf is used in the phrases turf war and home turf.Example: My cat claimed my dog’s bed as her turf, and the dog’s not happy about it.