assart

intransitive verb

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as·sart | \ əˈsärt \

variants: or less commonly essart \ ə̇ˈ- \

-ed/-ing/-s

Definition of assart

(Entry 1 of 2)

English law

: to grub up trees and bushes to make land arable

assart

noun

\ " \

variants: or less commonly essart \ " \

plural -s

Definition of assart (Entry 2 of 2)

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

History and Etymology for assart

Intransitive verb

Middle French essarter, from Old French, from essart

Noun

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