Emily Dickinson Lexicon

A'CRE, n. [a'ker; Sax. acer, acera, or æcer; Ger. acker; D. akker; Sw. acker; Dan. ager; W. eg; Ir. acra; Ice. akr; Pers. akkar; Gr. αγρος; L. ager. In these languages, the word retains its primitive sense, an open, plowed, or sowed field. In English it retained its original signification, that of any open field, until it was limited to a definite quantity by statutes 31 Ed. III. 5 Ed. I. 24 H. VIII. Cowel.]

1. A quantity of land, containing 160 square rods or perches, or 4840 square yards. This is the English statute acre. The acre of Scotland contains 6150 2/5 square yards. The French arpent is nearly equal to the Scottish acre, about a fifth larger than the English. The Roman juger was 3200 square yards.
2. In the Mogul's dominions, acre in the same as lack, or 100,000 rupees, equal to £12,500 sterling, or 55,500 dollars. Acre-fight, a sort of duel in the open field, formerly fought by English and Scotch combatants on their frontiers. Acre-tax, a tax on land in England, at a certain sum for each acre, called also Acre-shot.