Obs. or dial. Forms: 6 averaige, averish, 7–8 average. [Etymol. uncertain: see quot. 1674. No such sense of med.L. averagium or OF. average. Cf. ARRISH.] (See quot.)
1537. Reg. Leases Dean & Chapt. York, I. 74. The averaige of the said cloises.
c. 1615. MS. Crt. Bk. Riccall Yorksh. No goodes or cattell to depasture in the towne feildes in averish tyme.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (1681), 321. Average, the feeding or Pasturage for Cattle especially the Edish or Roughings.
1674. Ray, N. Countr. Wds., 3. Average, the breaking of corn fields; Eddish, Roughings … It may possibly come from Haver signifying Oates; or from Averia, beasts, being as much as feeding for cattal, pasturage.
1788. W. Marshall, Yorkshire (1796), II. 151. Average, a provincial term for the eatage of arable land, after harvest.
