sward (n.) Look up sward at Dictionary.com
"grass-covered ground," Old English sweard "skin, rind" (of bacon, etc.), from Proto-Germanic *swarthu- (cf. Old Frisian swarde "skin of the head," Middle Dutch swarde "rind of bacon," German Schwarte "thick, hard skin, rind," Old Norse svörðr "walrus hide"). Meaning "sod, turf" developed c.1300, on notion of the "skin" of the earth (cf. Old Norse grassvörðr, Danish grønsvær "greensward").