a marsh, fen, or low moor ground, which receives the waters from above without having any descent to carry them off again. Somner derives the word from the Saxon merfe, "lake;" Salmatus from mare, "a collection of waters;" others from the German maraffe, "a muddy place;" and others from marffe, of maricetum, à maricetis, i.e. rushes. See Draining, Agriculture Index.

In Scotland, Ireland, and the north of England, they have a peculiar kind of morasses called meller or peat-meller, whence the country people dig their peat or turf for firing. See Moss.