curtilage
(ˈkɜːtɪlɪdʒ)
Also 4–5 (9) courte-, 5–6 curty-, 5–7 curte-, 6 corte-, 7 courtilage; 5 curt-, cortlage, 7 court-lodge, 7–9 courtledge, 9 courtlage, -lege.
[a. AngloF. curtilage, OF. cor-, courtillage (med.L. cor-, curtilagium), f. cortil, courtil little court or garth, = Pr. cortil, It. cortile, med.L. cortile, curtile court, yard; f. cortis, curtis, It. corte, Pr. cort, OF. cort, curt, court; the suffix is the Romanic -age, as in village, etc. Popular etymology in 17th c. saw in it a compound of court, as court-lodge, -ledge, etc.]
A small court, yard, garth, or piece of ground attached to a dwelling-house, and forming one enclosure with it, or so regarded by the law; the area attached to and containing a dwelling-house and its out-buildings. Now mostly a legal or formal term, but in popular use in the south-west, where it is pronounced, and often written, courtledge.
| [1206 Rotuli Chartarum 163/1 Unum mesagium cum curtillag[io]. 1292 Britton iii. vii. §5 Des gardins, curtilages, columbers, et des autres issues de eynz la court.] c 1330 Owayn Miles 32 This is our courtelage, And our castel tour. 1434 E.E. Wills (1882) 99 All my mesuage, with the curtylage and all the appurtenance. 1523 Fitzherb. Surv. 1 b, A curtylage is a lytell croft or court, or place of easment to put in catell for a tyme, or to ley in woode, cole, or tymbre, or suche other thynges necessary for housholde. 1586 J. Hooker Girald. Irel. in Holinshed II. 174/1 He had gotten in within the iron doore or gate of the courtlodge all his men. 1613 Sir H. Finch Law (1636) 158 And for his Winde-mill necessary increase of court or Court-lodge. 1649 Prynne Demurrer to Jews' Remitter 36 They may buy houses and curtelages. 1769 Blackstone Comm. IV. 225 The capital house protects and privileges all it's branches and appurtenants, if within the curtilage or homestall. 1807 Vancouver Agric. Devon (1813) 211 Passing through the courtlege or farm-yards. 1855 Kingsley Westw. Ho xiv. (D.), At the back, a rambling courtledge of barns and walls. 1882 Elton Orig. Eng. Hist. 190 Where several houses had been built within the enclosure or curtilage of one homestead. |
† b. Tillage of a croft or kitchen-garden. Obs.
| c 1430 Lydg. Bochas viii. vi. (1554) 180 b, Dioclesian..Left his craft of deluing and cortlage. |