homestead
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a house together with the land and buildings around it, especially on a farm.
n.a dwelling house and the adjoining land and buildings, typically constituting a farm or estate.
Simple“The family worked hard to maintain their homestead during the long winter months.”
In context“The original homestead, consisting of a stone cottage and three timber barns, has remained in the family for four generations.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.a group of several houses where an extended family lives together.
n.a cluster of dwellings occupied by an extended family unit, particularly within a rural or traditional social structure.
Simple“In the village, each homestead was surrounded by a tall wooden fence for privacy.”
In context“The traditional homestead layout allowed the elders to supervise the communal activities of the younger family members effectively.”
UsageCommonly used in South African English to describe rural family living arrangements.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
v.to live on a piece of land and grow your own food, often to gain ownership of the land.
v.to settle on and cultivate land, especially under a government grant or as part of a self-sufficiency movement.
Simple“They decided to move to the mountains and homestead on a small plot of land.”
In context“Under the 1862 Act, many families moved west to homestead, hoping to secure a permanent title to the land through five years of cultivation.”
UsageOften used intransitively to describe a lifestyle of self-reliance.