turf
C1Informal, Technical (sports, gardening), Colloquial
Definition
Meaning
A surface layer of earth containing a dense growth of grass and its matted roots; sod.
The territory or area of activity regarded as belonging to a particular person, group, or domain; one's home ground or sphere of influence.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word has undergone semantic extension from a concrete noun (grass/soil) to a highly metaphorical noun (domain/influence) and a corresponding verb meaning to eject or exclude.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In UK English, 'turf accountant' is the formal term for a bookmaker. In US English, 'turf' is more common in the context of sports fields (e.g., artificial turf). The verb 'to turf out' (meaning to eject) is primarily British.
Connotations
In UK, strongly associated with betting/gambling via 'turf accountant'. In US, more associated with sports surfaces and landscaping.
Frequency
Higher frequency in UK English due to the betting idiom; higher technical frequency in US English for sports surfaces.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
turf somebody out (of something)turf over [an area]be on [one's] own turfVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “turf war”
- “on home turf”
- “turf somebody out”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"A turf war broke out between the marketing and sales departments over lead ownership."
Academic
"The study focused on the mycorrhizal networks present in natural turf ecosystems."
Everyday
"We need to lay some new turf in the back garden; the old grass is dead."
Technical
"The stadium is transitioning from natural grass to a hybrid turf system for durability."
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The landlord threatened to turf them out if they didn't pay the rent.
- The bouncer turfed the troublemaker from the club.
American English
- The council decided to turf the entire park to combat soil erosion.
- He was turfed from the committee after the scandal.
adverb
British English
- (Rare/Not standard - No common examples)
American English
- (Rare/Not standard - No common examples)
adjective
British English
- The turf accountant placed a bet on the favourite.
- They installed a new turf surface at the racecourse.
American English
- The school invested in a state-of-the-art turf field for the football team.
- Turf maintenance is a significant part of the groundskeeping budget.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The football game was played on green turf.
- Our garden has soft turf.
- We need to buy more turf to repair the damaged lawn.
- The cat loves to sleep on the sunny turf.
- The two gangs were engaged in a violent turf war over the neighbourhood.
- He felt more confident arguing his point on his home turf.
- The new CEO was quickly turfed out by the board after the poor quarterly results.
- The academic's controversial theory encroached on the turf of several established disciplines.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a SURFboard, but for grass. You TURF on the grass (your territory) instead of surfing on waves.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPACE/AREA IS TURF (e.g., 'That's my turf,' 'turf war'). CONTROL OVER AN AREA IS OWNERSHIP OF GRASSY LAND.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'торф' (torf), which means 'peat' in English.
- Avoid translating 'on my turf' literally as 'на моём газоне'; use 'на моей территории' for the metaphorical sense.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'turf' as a direct synonym for any type of grass (it specifically implies a rooted, soil-bound layer).
- Confusing 'turf out' (expel) with 'throw out' (more general).
Practice
Quiz
In British English, what does the phrasal verb 'to turf someone out' primarily mean?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'artificial turf' (synthetic grass) is a very common usage, especially in sports.
They are often synonyms for the grass-and-soil layer. 'Sod' can imply a cut piece ready for laying, while 'turf' can refer more generally to the surface. 'Turf' has many metaphorical meanings that 'sod' lacks.
Yes, chiefly in two ways: 1) To cover land with turf/sod. 2) (Informal, especially UK) To eject someone forcefully ('turf them out').
Historically, horse racing occurred on grass tracks (the turf). 'Turf accountant' became a formal euphemism for a bookmaker, linking the word permanently to betting, particularly in British English.