Plural of lawn; areas of short grass, usually in front of or around a house or building.
From Middle English 'launde,' probably from Old French 'lande' (heath, open land). Originally meant any open space, then became specific to mowed grass.
The American lawn obsession is oddly recent—before the 1950s, most yards were gardens; perfect grass lawns became status symbols because only wealthy people had time (and hired help) to maintain them.
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