carr
nounnounnounattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//kɑː//
- United States//kɑɹ//
Any marsh; marshy ground, swampland.
noun
- 1
Any marsh; marshy ground, swampland.
The marsh lands or ‘carrs’ that covered the low-lying floor of the vale could not be cultivated and the poorly drained flanks of the vale would be best used as pasture.
The old tales told of these noble animals sighted padding across clodded fields or circling shrinking copses. Stalking the choking carrs.
- 2
In particular, a marsh or fen formed when the litter of decaying reeds (e.g. in a lake) raises the ground level above the water, allowing more vegetation like sedges and then low bushes or trees to grow; a marshy woodland. (Compare marsh, swamp, bog, fen.)
Etymology
From Middle English kerr and Middle English carr meaning meadow, field or grassland of a low lying variety; possibly related to Old Norse kjarr. Compare Swedish kärr, Icelandic kjarr.
noun
- 1
Variant of cararchaicArchaic form of car (“wheeled vehicle”).
noun
- 1
Rock.
Etymology
From Northumbrian Old English carr; possibly adopted from a Cumbric *carreg, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kh₂er- (“hard”).
Forms
- plural
- carrs