释义 |
yard I. \ˈyärd, ˈyȧd\ noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English yarde, yerde, from Old English gierd, geard rod, twig, measure, yard; akin to Old High German gart stick, goad, Old Norse gaddr goad, spike, Gothic gazds goad, Middle Irish gat willow twig, Latin hasta spear 1. : any of various units of measure: as a. dialect England : rod, pole, perch b. obsolete : yard of land c. : a unit of length equal in the United States to 0.9144 meter and in Great Britain to the distance at 62° F between two transverse marks on two gold plugs in a bronze bar kept at the Standards Office of the Board of Trade at Westminster — abbr yd.; see measure table d. : a unit of volume (as for sand or gravel) equal to a cubic yard 2. archaic : penis 3. a. : a great length or quantity < his photographic memory enabled him to tuck away yards of facts and quotations — R.B.Nye > b. slang : one hundred dollars 4. : a long spar tapered toward the ends and set athwart a mast to support and spread the head of a square sail, lateen, or lugsail or to hoist signal flags : gaff — compare boom II 1; see ship illustration II. noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English yard, yerd, yerde, from Old English geard enclosure, court, yard; akin to Old High German gart enclosure, garto garden, Old Norse garthr yard, Gothic gards house, Latin hortus garden, Greek chortos farmyard, Sanskrit gṛiha house, harati he takes; basic meaning: to gird, enclose 1. a. : a small usually walled and often paved vacant area open to the sky and adjacent to a building : court b. : the grounds of a public building or group of buildings < inn yard > specifically : campus 1 < college yard > c. : a usually high-walled open-air exercise area for prisoners < prison yard > 2. a. : the grounds immediately surrounding a house and usually comprising lawn, shrubbery and other plantings, recreation and service areas < front yard > b. : an area devoted to the cultivation of crops : garden, field 3. a. (1) : an enclosure for poultry or livestock < chicken yard > (2) : a group of beehives kept together and managed as a unit b. (1) : an area set aside for a particular business or activity (2) : an assembly or storage area < rows of snowplows in the city yards > specifically : landing 2b c. : a system of tracks and sidings usually at a railroad terminal used for storage and maintenance of cars and making up trains 4. : a locality in a forest where moose or deer herd in winter for feeding and protection < moose yard > III. adjective Etymology: Middle English, from yard (II) 1. a. : of, relating to, or employed in the yard or garden surrounding a house < yard light > < yard boy > b. : belonging to or stationed in a courtyard < yard gate > < yard dog > 2. : of or from a run or enclosure for animals < yard dung > 3. : attached to or employed by an establishment operating a yard < yard patrol > < yard craft > 4. : of, relating to, or employed in a railroad yard < yard clerk > < yard engine > < yard service > IV. verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: yard (II) transitive verb 1. a. : to drive into or confine in a restricted area : herd, pen < the sheep were yarded at night — Rex Ingamells > b. : to confine to winter quarters < when the deer are yarded in deep snow — Hugh Fosburgh > 2. : to deliver to or store in a yard < yard freight car > especially : to pile (logs) temporarily at a central point (as on a landing) intransitive verb : to congregate in winter quarters < mild winters, allowing deer to roam rather than yard — Wildlife Review > — often used with up < show a tendency to yard up near favorite feeding areas — Frank Dufresne > V. noun • - the whole nine yards |