pɹaɪmˈɛɹᵻli ɐ mˈɛʒɚɹ ʌv tˈæks ɐsˈɛsmənt ɹˈæðɚ ðɐn ˈɛɹiə, ðə vˈɜːɡeɪt wʌz jˈuːʒuːəli bˌʌt nˌɑːt ˈɔːlweɪz ɹˈɛkənd æz hˈaɪd ænd nˈoʊʃənəli bˌʌt sˈɛldəm ɛɡzˈæktli ˈiːkwəl tə θˈɜːɾi ˈeɪkɚz.
Primarily a measure of tax assessment rather than area, the virgate was usually (but not always) reckoned as  hide and notionally (but seldom exactly) equal to 30 acres.