outdweller

O1U1T1D2W4E1L1L1E1R1

noun

One who holds land in a parish, but lives elsewhere.

Scrabble 14

Meanings

nounoutdweller (plural outdwellers)

plural outdwellers

  1. One who holds land in a parish, but lives elsewhere.
    3 more examples

    I apprehend the churchyard of a parish belongs in different ways both to the minister and the churchwardens; for I take the soil or surface to belong in general to the minister, and the interior part to the parishioners for burial; and consequently I think that no foreigner or outdweller ought to be buried in the churchyard of the parish mentioned in this case (unless when a traveller or accidental comer happens to die there), without the consent both of the minister and the churchwardens.

    1842, Richard Burn, The Ecclesiastical Law - Volume 1, page 258

    A modus of 4d. per acre for ancient pasture lands in the hands of an outdweller, the land continuing in pasture, may be good; but where in a suit brought to establish such a modus, there was evidence that payments of 1s. per acre had been made by inhabitants as moduses, and that on an issue directed in a tithe suit, the jury had found a modus of 12d. per acre for newly converted land, as well as 4d. per acre for ancient pasture;

    1842, Leonard Shelford, The Act for the Commutation of Tithes in England and Wales, page 211

    That there is and from time immemorial has been within that part of the parish called Mablethorpe St. Mary's a laudable custom that, if any outdweller take ancient pasture ground, he shall pay a modus of 4d. an acre, and so in proportion, on the 1st of August, in lieu of all manner of tithe; and that if any of the ancient pasture be once ploughed up or meadowed, it shall, when restored to pasture again, pay 4d. the acre in the hands of such outdweller.

    1917, The English Reports: Exchequer, page 789
  2. One who lives outside the current locale; an outsider or non-citizen.

    To leave unknown seamen to drown was one thing, but Beornwulf was a Seals' Island man, and outdweller or no, he was kin to many of them.

    2013, Rosemary Sutcliff, Dawn Wind
    4 more examples

    Even in the case with which we started, the outdweller from civilization, who supplies all his own wants and those of his family, produces only for his and their consumption.

    1895 March, J.M. Ludlow, “Some Words On the Ethics of Coöperative Production”, in Atlantic Monthly, volume 75

    If any burgess be appealed of a plea whereon wager of battle may issue by a villein or outdweller, let him defend himself by oath, that is to say by the 36 men, unless he is challenged in respect of a crime that the law requires him to defend by battle, in no case ought a burgess to fight against a villein if he have challenged him unless before the dispute he shall have quitted the burgage.

    1907, Antiquities of Sunderland and Its Vicinity - Volumes 5-7, page 73

    Item it is ordained that noe burgesses nor burgess shall sell any peice nor parcell of hay at Kimley Meade or Kevencribor to any burgess being an outdweller from the said burrough nor to any stranger nor foreigner upon pain of discomyneing .

    1909, Thomas Gray (V.D.), The Buried City of Kenfig, page 171

    A sad-looking outdweller walks into a pub and sits down at the counter. The barman is a professional, and pretends not to be shocked to see his backward and filthy visitor.

    2012, Aimery Thomas, Primae Noctis, page 313

Origin

Cite this entry
APA

outdweller. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outdweller

MLA

“outdweller.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outdweller. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “outdweller,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/outdweller.

Source: outdweller on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.