Fallow

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. Plowed land. [Obs.] Who . . . pricketh his blind horse over the fallows. Chaucer.

2. Land that has lain a year or more untilled or unseeded; land plowed without being sowed for the season. The plowing of fallows is a benefit to land. Mortimer.

3. The plowing or tilling of land, without sowing it for a season; as, summer fallow, properly conducted, has ever been found a sure method of destroying weeds. Be a complete summer fallow, land is rendered tender and mellow. The fallow gives it a better tilth than can be given by a fallow crop. Sinclair. Fallow crop, the crop taken from a green fallow. [Eng.] -- Green fallow, fallow whereby land is rendered mellow and clean from weeds, by cultivating some green crop, as turnips, potatoes, etc. [Eng.]

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To plow, harrow, and break up, as land, without seeding, for the purpose of destroying weeds and insects, and rendering it mellow; as, it is profitable to fallow cold, strong, clayey land.

Part of speech: adjective (a.)

1. Pale red or pale yellow; as, a fallow deer or greyhound. Shak.

2. Left untilled or unsowed after plowing; uncultivated; as, fallow ground. Fallow chat, Fallow finch (Zoöl.), a small European bird, the wheatear (Saxicola ænanthe). See Wheatear.