v. Also -bait, -bate. [f. BURN v. + BEAT sb.3 or v.2: the latter part is inflected; pr. pple. burnbeating pa. pple. burnbeat.] trans. To pare off and burn the rough turf or sod of moorland or fallow ground in order to improve it. Hence Burn-baited ppl. a.; Burnbeating vbl. sb.
1669. Worlidge, Syst. Agric. (1681), 37. The best way … to improve and reduce these Lands into Tillage, is to Burn-Beat, or Denshire them. Ibid. (1676), Cider (1691), 74. The ground being turfie … may be burn-beat in June or July. Ibid. (1681), Kal. Rust., Nov. Wheat may yet be sown on very warm and rich Lands, especially on burn-baited Land.
1727. Abp. Boulter, Lett. (1770), I. 177. We have taken care to provide in the bill, that the tenant shall not be able to burn-beat any ground in virtue of this act.
1808. J. Walker, Hist. Hebrides & Highl. Scotl., I. 170. The practice of … Burnbaiting, or sod burning.
