Orig. a 7c "tenement which was created by taking one *rood (one quarter of an *acre) from every acre in a *hide. Later, it determined the relationship between lord and tenant in which the tenant is a freeman working a quarter hide or *virgate at an agreed rent; the lord was obliged to provide a house if he wished both work and rent. -
Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases. Christopher Coredon with Ann Williams.