small holding
Preserved but no longer current.
A small plot of land (but larger than an allotment) let by a local or county council to a tenant for agricultural purposes. The Act of 1892 lays down that a small holding shall be not less than one acre nor more than fifty, and should not exceed £50 in annual value.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “small holding” mean?
A small plot of land (but larger than an allotment) let by a local or county council to a tenant for agricultural purposes. The Act of 1892 lays down that a small holding shall be not less than one acre nor more than fifty, and should not exceed £50 in annual value.
Is “small holding” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.