Fallow

FAL'LOW, adjective [Latin fulvus; qu. helvus, for felvus. This word may be from the root of fail, fallo; so called from the fading color of autumnal leaves, or from failure, withering. Hence also the sense of unoccupied, applied to land.]

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

2. Unsowed; not tilled; left to rest after a year or more of tillage; as fallow ground; a fallow field.

Break up your fallow ground. Jeremiah 4:3.

3. Left unsowed after plowing. The word is applied to the land after plowing.

4. Unplowed; uncultivated.

5. Unoccupied; neglected. [Not in use.]

Let the cause lie fallow

FAL'LOW, noun

1. Land that has lain a year or more untilled or unseeded. It is also called fallow when plowed without being sowed.

The plowing of fallows is a benefit to land.

2. The plowing or tilling of land, without sowing it, for a season. Summer fallow properly conducted, has ever been found a sure method of destroying weeds.

By 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.

A green fallow in England, is that where land is rendered mellow and clean from weeks, by means of some green crop, as turnips, potatoes, etc.

FAL'LOW, verb intransitive To fade; to become yellow. obsolete

FAL'LOW, verb transitive To plow, harrow and break land without seeding it, for the purpose of destroying weeds and insects, and rendering it mellow. It is found for the interest of the farmer to fallow cold, strong, clayey land.