Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense yokes, present participle yoking, past tense, past participle yoked
1. singular noun [adjective NOUN]
If you say that people are under the yokeof a bad thing or person, you mean they are forced to live in a difficult or unhappy state because of that thing or person.
[literary]
People are still suffering under the yoke of slavery. [+ of]
...a domineering comedian whose son flees to Blackpool to escape the parental yoke.
Synonyms: oppression, slavery, bondage, servitude More Synonyms of yoke
2. countable noun
A yoke is a long piece of wood which is tied across the necks of two animals such as oxen,in order to make them walk close together when they are pulling a plough.
3. verb
If two or more people or things are yokedtogether, they are forced to be closely linked with each other.
The introduction attempts to yoke the pieces together. [V n together]
They want their own currency instead of being yoked into someone else's monetarysystem. [V n + to/into]
Farmers and politicians are yoked by money and votes. [beVERB-ed]
Synonyms: unite, join, link, tie More Synonyms of yoke
More Synonyms of yoke
yoke in British English
(jəʊk)
nounWord forms: pluralyokes or yoke
1.
a wooden frame, usually consisting of a bar with an oxbow or similar collar-like piece at either end, for attaching to the necks of a pair of draught animals, esp oxen, so that they can be worked as a team
2.
something resembling a yoke in form or function, such as a frame fitting over a person's shoulders for carrying buckets suspended at either end
3.
a fitted part of a garment, esp around the neck, shoulders, and chest or around the hips, to which a gathered, pleated, flared, or unfitted part is attached
4.
an immense oppressive force or burden
under the yoke of a tyrant
5.
a pair of oxen or other draught animals joined together by a yoke
6.
a part, esp one of relatively thick cross section, that secures two or more components so that they move together
7.
a crosshead that transmits the drive of an opposed piston engine from the upper of a pair of linked pistons to the crankshaft through a connecting rod
8.
a steel framework around the formwork during the casting of concrete
9. nautical
a crossbar fixed athwartships to the head of a rudderpost in a small boat, to which are attached ropes or cables for steering
10.
a Y-shaped cable, rope, or chain, used for holding, towing, etc
11.
(in the ancient world) a symbolic reconstruction of a yoke, consisting of two upright spears with a third lashed across them, under which conquered enemies were compelled to march, esp in Rome
12.
a mark, token, or symbol of slavery, subjection, or suffering
13. rare
a link, tie, or bond
the yoke of love
14. British dialect
a period of steady work, esp the time during which a ploughman and his team work at a stretch
15. Irish
any device, unusual object, or gadget
where's the yoke for opening tins?
verb
16. (transitive)
to secure or harness (a draught animal) to (a plough, vehicle, etc) by means of a yoke
17.
to join or be joined by means of a yoke; couple, unite, or link
18. (transitive) obsolete
to oppress, burden, or enslave
Derived forms
yokeless (ˈyokeless)
adjective
Word origin
Old English geoc; related to Old High German ioh, Old Norse ok, Gothic juk, Latin iugum, Sanskrit yugam
yoke in American Englishfor 21
(jouk) (noun plural for 1, 3–20 yokes or yoke, verbyoked, yoking)
noun
1.
a device for joining together a pair of draft animals, esp. oxen, usually consisting of a crosspiece with two bow-shaped pieces, each enclosing the head of an animal
Compare "> harness (sense 1)
2.
a pair of draft animals fastened together by a yoke
five yoke of oxen
3.
something resembling a yoke or a bow of a yoke in form or use
4.
a frame fitting the neck and shoulders of a person, for carrying a pair of bucketsor the like, one at each end
5.
an agency of oppression, subjection, servitude, etc
6.
an emblem or symbol of subjection, servitude, slavery, etc., as an archway under which prisoners of war were compelled to pass by the ancient Romans and others
7.
something that couples or binds together; a bond or tie
8. Machinery
a viselike piece gripping two parts firmly together
9. Also called: fork
a forklike termination for a rod or shaft, inside which another part is secured
10.
a fitting for the neck of a draft animal for suspending the tongue of a cart, carriage, etc., from a harness
11.
a crosshead attached to the upper piston of an opposed-piston engine with rods totransmit power to the crankshaft
12. (in an airplane)
a double handle, somewhat like a steering wheel in form, by which the elevators are controlled
13. Nautical
a crossbar on the head of the rudder of a small boat, having lines or chains attached to the ends so as to permit the steering of the boat from forward
14. See spreader beam
15.
a shaped piece in a garment, fitted about or below the neck and shoulders or aboutthe hips, from which the rest of the garment hangs
16.
a horizontal piece forming the top of a window frame
17.
a Y-shaped piece connecting branch pipes with a main soil pipe
18. Television
an electromagnetic assembly placed around the neck of a cathode-ray tube to produce and control the scanning motion of electron beams inside the tube
19. Brit dialect(esp in Kent)
a.
the time during which a plowman and team work without stopping; a period of plowing
b.
a measure or area of land equal to over 50 but less than 60 acres
20.
a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter Y
transitive verb
21.
to put a yoke on; join or couple by means of a yoke
22.
to attach (a draft animal) to a plow or vehicle
to yoke oxen
23.
to harness a draft animal to (a plow or vehicle)
to yoke a wagon
24.
to join, couple, link, or unite
25. obsolete
to bring into subjection or servitude
intransitive verb
26.
to be or become joined, linked, or united
Derived forms
yokeless
adjective
Word origin
[bef. 900; (n.) ME yok(e), OE geoc; c. D juk, G Joch, ON ok, L jugum, Gk zygón, Hittite yugan, Skt yuga; (v.) ME yoken, OE geocian, deriv. of the n.]
yoke in American English2
(jouk)
noun
yolk
Examples of 'yoke' in a sentence
yoke
It was a wooden contraption that they would put on one animal and yoke him to another.
Christianity Today (2000)
The difficulty rarely lies in any unwillingness to yoke these two things together.
The Times Literary Supplement (2011)
I'm not sure that it helps to yoke these two different regions into a single fund.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Word lists with
yoke
parts of clothes, parts of clothing
1 (noun)
Definition
an oppressive force or burden
People are suffering under the yoke of capitalism.
Synonyms
oppression
slavery
My people have survived 300 years of slavery.
bondage
A terrible life of bondage was compounded by a guilty secret.
servitude
a life of servitude
service
burden
enslavement
Free people will never choose their own enslavement.
serfdom
servility
vassalage
thraldom
helotry
2 (noun)
Definition
a frame fitting over a person's shoulders for carrying buckets
He put a yoke around his body and pulled along the cart.
Synonyms
harness
Always check that the straps of the harness are properly adjusted.
coupling
tackle
chain
The dogs were growling and pulling at their chains.
collar
tack
link
They hope to cement close links with Moscow.
tie
little empire-line coats with ribbon ties
1 (verb)
Definition
to unite or link
They are yoked by money and votes.
Synonyms
unite
They have agreed to unite their efforts to bring peace.
join
The opened link is used to join the two ends of the chain.
link
the Channel Tunnel linking Britain and France
tie
He tied the ends of the plastic bag together.
bond
Strips of wood are bonded together and moulded by machine.
bind
Bind the ends of the card together with thread.
connect
There is no evidence to connect him to the robberies.
I wouldn't have connected the two events if you hadn't said that.
2 (verb)
Definition
to put a yoke on
a plough team of eight oxen yoked in pairs
Synonyms
harness
The horses were harnessed to a heavy wagon.
join
couple
link
She was linked to the robbery.
tie
connect
bracket
hitch
We hitched the horse to the cart.
inspan (South Africa)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bind
Definition
to make secure, such as with a rope
Bind the ends of the card together with thread.
Synonyms
tie,
unite,
join,
stick,
secure,
attach,
wrap,
rope,
knot,
strap,
lash,
glue,
tie up,
hitch,
paste,
fasten,
truss,
make fast
in the sense of bond
Definition
to hold or be held together
Strips of wood are bonded together and moulded by machine.
Synonyms
fix,
hold,
bind,
connect,
glue,
gum,
fuse,
stick,
paste,
fasten
in the sense of bondage
Definition
slavery
A terrible life of bondage was compounded by a guilty secret.
Synonyms
slavery,
imprisonment,
captivity,
confinement,
yoke,
duress,
servitude,
enslavement,
subjugation,
serfdom,
subjection,
vassalage,
thraldom,
enthralment
Nearby words of
yoke
yield to something
yielding
yob
yoke
yokel
young
youngster
Synonyms of 'yoke'
yoke
Explore 'yoke' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of chain
Definition
a flexible length of metal links, used for fastening, binding, or connecting, or in jewellery
The dogs were growling and pulling at their chains.
Synonyms
tether,
coupling,
link,
bond,
shackle,
fetter,
manacle
in the sense of connect
Definition
to associate in the mind
There is no evidence to connect him to the robberies.I wouldn't have connected the two events if you hadn't said that.
Synonyms
associate,
unite,
join,
couple,
league,
link,
mix,
relate,
pair,
ally,
identify,
combine,
affiliate,
correlate,
confederate,
lump together,
mention in the same breath,
think of together
in the sense of enslavement
Free people will never choose their own enslavement.
Synonyms
subjugation,
slavery,
suppression,
tyranny,
obedience,
bondage,
thrall,
servitude,
serfdom,
vassalage,
thraldom
in the sense of hitch
Definition
to fasten with a knot or tie
We hitched the horse to the cart.
Synonyms
fasten,
join,
attach,
unite,
couple,
tie,
connect,
harness,
tether,
yoke,
make fast
in the sense of join
Definition
to bring into contact
The opened link is used to join the two ends of the chain.
Synonyms
connect,
unite,
couple,
link,
marry,
tie,
combine,
attach,
knit,
cement,
adhere,
fasten,
annex,
add,
splice,
yoke,
append (formal)
in the sense of link
Definition
an emotional or logical relationship between people or things
They hope to cement close links with Moscow.
Synonyms
relationship,
association,
tie,
bond,
connection,
attachment,
liaison,
affinity,
affiliation
in the sense of link
Definition
to connect with or as if with links
the Channel Tunnel linking Britain and France
Synonyms
connect,
join,
unite,
couple,
tie,
bind,
attach,
fasten,
yoke
in the sense of link
Definition
to connect by association
She was linked to the robbery.
Synonyms
associate,
relate,
identify,
connect,
bracket
in the sense of servitude
Definition
slavery or bondage
a life of servitude
Synonyms
slavery,
bondage,
enslavement,
bonds,
chains,
obedience,
thrall,
subjugation,
serfdom,
vassalage,
thraldom
in the sense of slavery
Definition
the state or condition of being a slave
My people have survived 300 years of slavery.
Synonyms
enslavement,
servitude,
subjugation,
captivity,
bondage,
thrall,
serfdom,
vassalage,
thraldom
Additional synonyms
in the sense of tie
Definition
a string, wire, etc., with which something is tied