[f. TILL v.1 + -ING1.] The action of TILL v.1; work done upon land for raising crops; cultivation, tillage.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 296. Þe winȝeardes … þet mot muche tilunge to uorte beren windberien.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XIV. 63. Fourty wynter folke lyued with-outen tulyinge.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 281. Konnynge of telinge [v.rr. tellynge, tillyng] of feeldes þey cleped Cereres.
1475. Bk. Noblesse (Roxb.), 70. In tilieng, ering, and labourage of his londis to bere corne and fruit.
a. 1610. Healey, Theophrastus (1636), 12. The well tilling and husbanding of the ground.
1678. Sir G. Mackenzie, Crim. Laws Scot., I. xix. § 9 (1699), 101. The stealers of Pleugh-graith … in the time of Teiling … are to be punished to the death.
1910. Lond. Gaz., No. 4703/2. A Bill … for encouraging the Tilling of Land with Bullocks.
1817. W. Selwyn, Law Nisi Prius (ed. 4), II. 1206. Whether the land is of such a nature as to require an extraordinary expence in manuring or tilling.
fig. 1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 271 b/1. Lyke a tylyer of Ihesu cryst he prouffyted in spyrytuel tylyeng.
1640. H. Woodward (title), A Childes Patrimony laid out upon the good culture or tilling over his whole man.
† b. concr. The produce of tilling; a crop: = TILLAGE 2 b. Obs. rare.
1680. J. Goodyear, in Hereford Dioc. Reg., 4 Oct. Wanting ropes in the time of Harvest to carry in his tilling with.
c. attrib., as tilling land, land fit for tilling, arable land.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), II. 89. But now wodes beþ i-hewe adoun and newe telynge lond i-made.
1488. Cal. Anc. Rec. Dublin (1889), 494. Parte of the tyllyng land.
