-fallow-

n. [ So called from the fallow, or somewhat yellow, color of naked ground; or perh. akin to E. felly, n., cf. MHG. valgen to plow up, OHG. felga felly, harrow. ] 1. Plowed land. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Who . . . pricketh his blind horse over the fallows. Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Land that has lain a year or more untilled or unseeded; land plowed without being sowed for the season. [ 1913 Webster ]

The plowing of fallows is a benefit to land. Mortimer. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Fallowed p. pr. & vb. n. Fallowing. ] [ From Fallow, n. ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

[ So called from its fallow or pale yellow color. ] (Zool.) A European species of deer (Cervus dama), much smaller than the red deer. In summer both sexes are spotted with white. It is common in England, where it is often domesticated in the parks. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who favors the practice of fallowing land. [ R. ] Sinclair. [ 1913 Webster ]