turf: [OE] Turf is a general Germanic word. It goes back to a prehistoric Germanic *turb-, which also produced German torf ‘peat’, Dutch turf, Swedish torf, and Danish tørv, and was borrowed into the Romance languages, giving French tourbe, Italian torba, and Spanish turba. Its ultimate source was the Indo-European base *drbh-.
turf (n.)
Old English turf, tyrf "slab of soil and grass, sod," also "surface of grassland," from Proto-Germanic *turb- (cognates: Old Norse torf, Danish tørv, Old Frisian turf, Old High German zurba, German Torf), from PIE root *drebh- "to wind, compress" (cognates: Sanskrit darbhah "tuft of grass").
Especially "the race course," hence the turf "the profession of racing horses" (1755). French tourbe "turf" is a Germanic loan-word. The Old English plural was identical with the singular, but in Middle English turves sometimes was used. Slang meaning "territory claimed by a gang" is attested from 1953 in Brooklyn, N.Y.; earlier it had a jive talk sense of "the street, the sidewalk" (1930s), which is attested in hobo use from 1899, and before that "the work and venue of a prostitute" (1860). Turf war is recorded from 1962.
turf (v.)
early 15c., "to cover (ground) with turf," from turf (n.). Related: Turfed; turfing.
双语例句
1. On its home turf, the combined bank would be unrivalled.
那家联合银行在它自己的地盘上就无可匹敌了。
来自柯林斯例句
2. Their turf was Paris: its streets, theaters, homes, and parks.
巴黎是他们的地盘：那里熟悉的大街、剧院、住宅和公园。
来自柯林斯例句
3. He squelched across the turf.
他扑哧扑哧地走过草皮。
来自柯林斯例句
4. a vicious turf war between rival gangs of drug dealers
对立贩毒团伙之间的猛烈火并
来自《权威词典》
5. Turf wars are inevitable when two departments are merged.
