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Webster 1913 Edition

Acre

A′cre

,
Noun.
[OE.
aker
, AS.
æcer
; akin to OS.
accar
, OHG.
achar
, Ger.
acker
, Icel.
akr
, Sw.
åker
, Dan.
ager
, Goth.
akrs
, L.
ager
, Gr. [GREEK], Skr.
ajra
. √2, 206.]
1.
Any field of arable or pasture land.
[Obs.]
2.
A piece of land, containing 160 square rods, or 4,840 square yards, or 43,560 square feet. This is the English statute acre. That of the United States is the same. The Scotch acre was about 1.26 of the English, and the Irish 1.62 of the English.
☞ The acre was limited to its present definite quantity by statutes of Edward I., Edward III., and Henry VIII.
Broad acres
,
many acres, much landed estate.
[Rhetorical]
–
God’s acre
,
God's field; the churchyard.
I like that ancient Saxon phrase, which calls
The burial ground,
God's acre
.
Longfellow.

Webster 1828 Edition

Acre

ACRE

,
Noun.
a'ker. [Gr; Lat. ager. In these languages, the word retains its primitive sense, an open, plowed, or sowed field. In Eng. it retained its original signification, that of any open field, until it was limited to a definite quantity by statutes 31. Ed. 35 Ed 1.24. H.8]
1.
A quantity of land, containing 160 square rods or perches or 4840 square yards. This is the English statute acre. The acre of Scotland contains 6150 2-5 square yards. The French arpent is nearly equal to the Scottish acre, about a fifth larger than the English. The Roman juger was 3200 square yards.
2.
In the Mogul's dominions, acre is the same as lack, or 100,00 rupees, equal to 12,500 sterling, or $55,500..
Acre-fight, a sort of duel in the open field, formerly fought by English and Scotch combatants on their frontiers.
Acre-tax, a tax on land in England, at a certain sum for each acre, called also acre-shot.

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