three acres and a cow
Preserved but no longer current.
A phrase which came into use after the formation by the Dukes of Argyll and Westminster of the National Land Company, in 1885. The object of this concern was to acquire large tracts of land and let it out for farming in small portions.
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 “three acres and a cow” mean?
A phrase which came into use after the formation by the Dukes of Argyll and Westminster of the National Land Company, in 1885. The object of this concern was to acquire large tracts of land and let it out for farming in small portions.
Is “three acres and a cow” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.