purpresture

English

Alternative forms

• pourpresture (rare)

Etymology

From 1150–1200, Middle English purpresture, from Anglo-Norman purpresture; alteration of Old French porpresure (“enclosure, occupied space”), from porprendre (“to seize, occupy, enclose”), from por- (“for”) + prendre (“to take”); from Latin prehendere.

Noun

purpresture (countable and uncountable, plural purprestures)

1. (historical) The unlawful personal appropriation of public lands; wrongful encroachment on, or enclosure of properties belonging to the public (e.g. highways, sidewalks, forests, harbors).

Old French

Noun

purpresture oblique singular, f (oblique plural purprestures, nominative singular purpresture, nominative plural purprestures)

1. (Anglo-Norman) purpresture; illegal seizure

References

• purpresture on the Anglo-Norman On-Line Hub