udal

British  

/ ˈjuːdəl /

noun

1. law a form of freehold possession of land existing in northern Europe before the introduction of the feudal system and still used in Orkney and Shetland

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Etymology

Origin of udal

C16: Orkney and Shetland dialect, from Old Norse othal; related to Old English ēthel, ōethel, Old High German wodal

Example Sentences

In Orkney and Shetland land is still largely possessed as udal property, a holding derived or handed down from the time when these islands belonged to Norway.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 3 "Fenton, Edward" to "Finistere" by Various

As the bondes thought this was too heavy for them to pay, the earl offered to pay the whole if they would surrender their udal lands to him.

From Heimskringla, or the Chronicle of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturluson

Einar fled to Scotland, and King Harald made the people of the Orkney Islands give up their udal properties, and hold them under oath from him.

From Heimskringla, or the Chronicle of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturluson

This they all agreed to do: the poor because they had but little pieces of land; the rich because they could redeem their udal rights again when they liked.

From Heimskringla, or the Chronicle of the Kings of Norway by Snorri Sturluson

The land owned by a peasant was called his udal.

From Norwegian Life by Clough, Ethlyn T.