[Cf. G. wasserfurche.] A deep furrow made for conducting water from the ground and keeping it dry.
854. in Birch, Cartul. Sax., II. 78. On þa weter furh innan smalan broc.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 213/1. Gryppe, or a gryppel, where water rennythe a-way in a londe, or water forowe, aratiuncula. Ibid., 518/1. Waterforowe [v.rr. -foore, -fore], in londe, elicus, sulcus.
1482. Cov. Leet Bk., 510. Strecchyng down be a watir-fforough where some-tyme was a diche & a heye vnto þe watir of Shirburn.
1483. Cath. Angl., 410/2. A Watir fure, elix.
a. 1677. Manton, Serm., Ps. cxix. 23 (1725), I. 111. As Husbandmen when their ground is overflowed by waters, make Ditches and Water-furrows to carry it away.
1710. Hilman, Tusser Rediv., Mar. (1744), 32. [Standing water must be] draind off with Water-Furrows.
1812. Sir J. Sinclair, Syst. Husb. Scot., I. 49. Unless the water collected from the different ‘buts’ or ‘ridges,’ can easily get away, it will be to no purpose to facilitate its passage from these … by ‘water-furrows,’ or small cuts made by the plough or spade.
1842. Sproule, Agric. (ed. 2), 70. These open furrows serve, likewise, for drains to carry off the surface-water, and being cleared out after the seed is sown, they are termed water-furrows.
attrib. 1812. Sir J. Sinclair, Syst. Husb. Scot., I. 146. The 40 ridges will require 79 turnings of the sower and harrows, and 41 turnings of the water-fur plough.
