assart

intransitive verb as·sart \ əˈsärt \

variants: or less commonly essart \ə̇ˈ-\

Definition of assart

also -ed/-ing/-s

English law

: to grub up trees and bushes to make land arable

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Origin and Etymology of assart

Middle French essarter, from Old French, from essart

assart

noun \ " \

variants: or less commonly essart \"\

Definition of assart

plural -s

1 English law : act of grubbing up trees or bushes usually in converting forestland into arable land

2 English law : a piece of land cleared

Origin and Etymology of assart

Middle French essart, from Old French, from Late Latin exartum, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin exsartum, neuter of exsartus, past participle of exsarire to weed out, from Latin ex out + sarire to hoe, weed; akin to Old High German sarf sharp, Latin sarpere to prune, Greek harpagē hook, rake, Sanskrit sṛṇī sickle