n. A group of houses standing together in the country; a hamlet; a village.
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. A group of houses in the country; a small village; a hamlet; a dorp; -- now chiefly occurring in names of places and persons.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. A group of houses standing together in the country; a hamlet; a village: used chiefly in place-names, and in names of persons derived from places: as, Althorp, Copmansthorpe.
Word Usage
"In the thorp was a tavern with the sign of the Nicholas, so Ralph deemed it but right to enter a house which was under the guard of his master and friend; therefore he lighted down and went in."