4 entries under this word
a. [A.S. fealu, fealo, fealaw, N. H. Ger. falb, falh, O. H. Ger. falo, falawer, falawn, falawas, Icel. fölr, D. vaal; whence Pr. falb, It. falbo, Fr. fauve; allied to Lith. palvas, Slav. plav', Pol. plowy, Skr. palita, Gr. πολιός, Lat. pallidus, fulvus, and flavus.]
Sense 1. Left untilled or unsowed after having been plowed ready for culture; uncultivated; neglected; as, a fallow ground.
Sense 2. Pale red or pale yellow; as, a fallow deer or greyhound. Shak.
n. [So called from the fallow, or somewhat yellow, color of naked ground. See supra.] 1. Land that has lain a year or more untilled or unseeded; land which has been plowed without being sowed. The plowing of fallows is a benefit to land. Mortimer. 2. The plowing or tilling of land, without sowing it for a season; as, summer fallow, properly conducted, has ever been found a sure method of destroying weeds. By a complete summer fallow, land is rendered tender and mellow. The fallow gives it a better tilth than can be given by a fallow crop. Sinclair. Green fallow, that where land is rendered mellow and clean from weeds, by cultivating some green crop, as turnips, potatoes, &c. [Eng.]
To fade; to become yellow. [Obs.]
v. t. [imp. & p. p. FALLOWED; p. pr. & vb. n. FALLOWING.] To plow, harrow, and break up, as land, without seeding, for the purpose of destroying weeds and insects, and rendering it mellow; as, it is found for the interest of the farmer to fallow cold, strong, clayey land.