fallow Hear it!

fallow¹ Definition

fal·low (fal′ō)

noun

  1. land plowed but not seeded for one or more growing seasons, to kill weeds, make the soil richer, etc.
  2. the plowing of land to be left idle in this way

Etymology: ME falow < OE fealh, akin to fealh, harrow, felly (of wheel) < IE base *pelk-, to turn > Gael olca, fallow land

adjective

  1. left uncultivated or unplanted
  2. untrained; inactive: said esp. of the mind

transitive verb

to leave (land) unplanted after plowing

Etymology: ME falwen < OE fealgian < fealh, fallow land; infl. by fealwian, to fade < fealo: see fallow

fallow¹ Related Forms

fal′·low·ness noun

fallow¹ Idioms

lie fallow

to remain uncultivated, unused, unproductive, etc. for a time

fallow² Definition

fal·low (fal′ō)

adjective

pale-yellow; brownish-yellow

Etymology: ME falwe < OE fealo, akin to Ger fahl, fallow < Gmc *falwa < IE base *pel-, gray, pale > L pallidus

fallow Synonyms

fallow

modif.

  1. Uncultivated

    untilled, unsowed, neglected, unplowed, unseeded, unplanted, unproductive; see also unused 1.

  2. Idle

    inert, inactive, dormant; see idle 1.

fallow Usage Examples

Object

  • year: Fallowing every 5th year over a 15 year period reduced seed numbers by 75 % .
  • land: Drilled a vetch crop then summer fallowed the land.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

leave: Leaving sites fallow will reduce the risk of disease or parasite transmission.

Modifies a noun

  • deer: The main herds are of fallow deer which now probably number almost a thousand.
  • buck: The two fallow bucks are like that which supports the arms of the County Council in allusion to the name.
  • discovery: In addition, 13 previously fallow discoveries have now had plans for development approved.
  • period: For many contract overseas workers there is a cycle of good earnings followed by fallow periods.
  • land: For a full or bare fallow, heavy land is plowed in April to give the weeds time to start into growth.
  • ground: How is the fallow ground to be broken up?

Used with adjective complement

  • lie: To the east two hundred places Where a thousand farms lie fallow.
  • leave: They are used on land, which would be otherwise be left fallow.
  • become: Inland, map says & I see, many small fields with walls, becoming fallow then suburb.

Noun used with modifier

  • forest: No room was left for intermediate or temporary forms such as forest fallows.
  • rice: Background The spatial distribution of rice fallows in South Asia was documented using a GIS approach.

Modifying Another Word

  • previously: In addition, 13 previously fallow discoveries have now had plans for development approved.
  • long: In the Twickenham sunshine an England career long fallow showed shoots of recovery.

Preposition: for

  • year: Seed numbers in soil are reduced to less than 20 % by fallowing for a year.
  • wheat: They summer fallow for wheat, and than take several crops of spring corn, with some clover.
  • month: If docks get bad enough intends to bastard fallow, he will plow early and leave fallow for 2 months during the summer.
  • time: Below that, there may be little risk in leaving things fallow for a time.