turfyadj.
/ˈtəːfi/, U.S. /ˈtərfi/ 1. Covered with or consisting of turf; grassy; turfen; in quot. 1733, of arable land: full of weeds and roots, not ‘clean’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > land > landscape > fertile land or place > land with vegetation > [adjective] > grassland
swarded1513
turfy1552
swarth1598
laundy1611
swarthy1613
turfed1628
swardy1639
scurfy1712
herbaged1727
lawny1744
turfen1778
greenswarded1797
open range1905
tall-grass1920
the world > food and drink > farming > farm > farmland > land suitable for cultivation > [adjective] > cleared > not cleared or overgrown
unclean?1440
weedy?1440
spare1508
unweeded1604
uncleared1623
twitchy1652
uncured1719
turfy1733
mushroomed1886
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Turffie, or of turfe, cespitius, a.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Tempest (1623) iv. i. 62 Thy Turphie-Mountaines, where liue nibling Sheepe. View more context for this quotation
1685 J. Pomfret Cruelty & Lust 149 When Charion saw me from his turfy bed.
1718 N. Rowe tr. Lucan Pharsalia 137 Each to his turphy Table bids his Guest.
1733 J. Tull Horse-hoing Husbandry xi. 62 The Third Crop made that Land so Foul and Turffy, that 'twas forc'd to lie for a Fallow.
1818 M. R. Mitford in A. G. L'Estrange Life M. R. Mitford (1870) II. ii. 23 A turfy, almost inaccessible hill, called Finchamstead Ridges.
1869 H. F. Tozer Res. Highlands of Turkey II. 185 We made our way along a turfy level to the city.
2. Of the nature of or abounding in turf or peat; peaty.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > structure of the earth > constituent materials > earth or soil > kind of earth or soil > [adjective] > organic > peat
mossya1522
turfy1660
peaty1723
ketty1872
turfen1903
1660 H. More Explan. Grand Myst. Godliness vi. vii. 231 For what of the Earth is not combustible? The exteriour turfy part is ordinary fewel.
a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) Lanc. 107 They pierce the Turffie ground, and under it meet with a black and deadish water.
1776 W. Withering Brit. Plants (1796) II. 362 Alisma ranunculoides..Lesser Thrumwort Wet turfy bogs... Boggy meadows, common. Bungay, Suffolk.
1842 J. C. Loudon Suburban Horticulturist 509 He uses turfy loam two parts, thoroughly decomposed dung two parts, leaf mould two parts, and very sandy turfy peat two parts.
1870 J. D. Hooker Student's Flora Brit. Islands 302 Centunculus minimus... Wet turfy and sandy places, local.
3. Pertaining to or characteristic of the turf; suggestive of horse racing; horsy.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > [adjective]
hippian1758
turfy1843
hippic1846
1843 C. Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit (1844) xxvi. 317 It was an easy, horse-fleshy, turfy sort of thing to do.
1868 E. Yates Rock Ahead II. ii. vii. 220 The man..has an air of turfy, horsey life.
1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ At Bay ii. 23 The talk became..of the Turf—turfy.
Derivatives
ˈturfiness n. turfy character, horsiness.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > horse racing > [noun] > character of
turfiness1905
1905 Daily Chron. 22 June 4/4 Each American newcomer feels..at first horribly out of it in this world of universal turfyness.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1915; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.1552