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Webster 1913 Edition

Yoke

Yoke

(yōk)
,
Noun.
[OE.
yok
,
ȝoc
, AS.
geoc
; akin to D.
juk
, OHG.
joh
, G.
joch
, Icel. & Sw.
ok
, Dan.
aag
, Goth.
juk
, Lith.
jungas
, Russ.
igo
, L.
jugum
, Gr.
ζύγον
, Skr.
yuga
, and to L.
jungere
to join, Gr. [GREEK], Skr.
yui
. √109, 280. Cf.
Join
,
Jougs
,
Joust
,
Jugular
,
Subjugate
,
Syzygy
,
Yuga
,
Zeugma
.]
1.
A bar or frame of wood by which two oxen are joined at the heads or necks for working together.
A yearling bullock to thy name shall smoke,
Untamed, unconscious of the galling
yoke
.
Pope.
☞ The modern yoke for oxen is usually a piece of timber hollowed, or made curving, near each end, and laid on the necks of the oxen, being secured in place by two bows, one inclosing each neck, and fastened through the timber. In some countries the yoke consists of a flat piece of wood fastened to the foreheads of the oxen by thongs about the horns.
2.
A frame or piece resembling a yoke, as in use or shape.
Specifically:
(a)
A frame of wood fitted to a person’s shoulders for carrying pails, etc., suspended on each side;
as, a milkmaid's
yoke
.
(b)
A frame worn on the neck of an animal, as a cow, a pig, a goose, to prevent passage through a fence.
(c)
A frame or convex piece by which a bell is hung for ringing it. See Illust. of
Bell
.
(d)
A crosspiece upon the head of a boat's rudder. To its ends lines are attached which lead forward so that the boat can be steered from amidships.
(e)
(Mach.)
A bent crosspiece connecting two other parts.
(f)
(Arch.)
A tie securing two timbers together, not used for part of a regular truss, but serving a temporary purpose, as to provide against unusual strain.
(g)
(Dressmaking)
A band shaped to fit the shoulders or the hips, and joined to the upper full edge of the waist or the skirt.
3.
Fig.: That which connects or binds; a chain; a link; a bond connection.
Boweth your neck under that blissful
yoke
. . .
Which that men clepeth spousal or wedlock.
Chaucer.
This
yoke
of marriage from us both remove.
Dryden.
4.
A mark of servitude; hence, servitude; slavery; bondage; service.
Our country sinks beneath the
yoke
.
Shakespeare
My
yoke
is easy, and my burden is light.
Matt. xi. 30.
5.
Two animals yoked together; a couple; a pair that work together.
I have bought five
yoke
of oxen, and I go to prove them.
Luke xiv. 19.
6.
The quantity of land plowed in a day by a yoke of oxen.
[Obs.]
Gardner.
7.
A portion of the working day;
as, to work two
yokes
, that is, to work both portions of the day, or morning and afternoon
.
[Prov. Eng.]
Halliwell.
Neck yoke
,
Pig yoke
.
See under
Neck
, and
Pig
.
–
Yoke elm
(Bot.)
,
the European hornbeam (
Carpinus Betulus
), a small tree with tough white wood, often used for making yokes for cattle.

Yoke

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Yoked
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Yoking
.]
1.
To put a yoke on; to join in or with a yoke;
as, to
yoke
oxen, or pair of oxen
.
2.
To couple; to join with another.
“Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers.”
2 Cor. vi. 14.
Cassius, you are
yoked
with a lamb.
Shakespeare
3.
To enslave; to bring into bondage; to restrain; to confine.
Then were they
yoked
with garrisons.
Milton.
The words and promises that
yoke

The conqueror are quickly broke.
Hudibras.

Yoke

,
Verb.
I.
To be joined or associated; to be intimately connected; to consort closely; to mate.
We 'll
yoke
together, like a double shadow.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition

Yoke

YOKE

,
Noun.
[G., L., Gr.]
1.
A piece of timber, hollowed or made curving near each end, and fitted with bows for receiving the necks of oxen; by which means two are connected for drawing. From a ring or hook in the bow, a chain extends to the thing to be drawn, or to the yoke of another pair of oxen behind.
2.
A mark of servitude; slavery; bondage.
Our country sinks beneath the yoke.
3.
A chain; a link; a bond of connection; as the yoke of marriage.
4.
A couple; a pair; as a yoke of oxen.
5.
Service.
My yoke is easy. Matthew 11.

YOKE

, v.t.
1.
To put a yoke on; to join in a yoke; as, to yoke oxen, or a pair of oxen.
2.
To couple; to join with another.
Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb.
3.
To enslave; to bring into bondage.
4.
To restrain; to confine. Libertines like not to be yoked in marriage.
The words and promises that yoke the conqueror, are quickly broke.

Definition 2024

yoke

yoke

English

A bow yoke on a bullock team (wooden bar).
A yoke (aviation).

Noun

yoke ‎(plural yokes)

  1. A bar or frame of wood by which two oxen are joined at the heads or necks for working together.
    • Alexander Pope
      A yearling bullock to thy name shall smoke, / Untamed, unconscious of the galling yoke.
  2. A pair (of animals, especially oxen).
    • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Luke XIV:
      And another sayd: I have bought fyve yooke of oxen, and I must goo to prove them, I praye the have me excused.
  3. A frame made to fit the neck and shoulders of a person, used for carrying a pair of buckets, etc., one at each end of the frame.
  4. A frame worn on the neck of an animal, such as a cow, pig, or goose, to prevent passage through a fence.
  5. (figuratively) A burden; something which represses or restrains a person.
  6. A frame or convex piece by which a bell is hung for ringing it.
  7. The part of a shirt that stretches over the shoulders, usually made out of a doubled piece of fabric. Or, a pair of fabric panels on trousers (especially jeans) or a skirt, across the back of the garment below the waistband.
    • 1913, Willa Cather, O Pioneers!
      [...] this city child was dressed in what was then called the "Kate Greenaway" manner, and her red cashmere frock, gathered full from the yoke, came almost to the floor.
  8. (bodybuilding) Well-developed muscles of the neck and shoulders.
    • 2010, Jim Wendler, "Build an NFL Neck", Men's Fitness (April), page 73.
      Nothing says you're a dedicated lifter and true athlete more than a massive yoke—that is, the muscles of the neck, traps, and rear delts.
  9. (aviation) The column-mounted control wheel of an aircraft.
  10. (electronics) The electromagnetic coil that deflects the electron beam in a CRT (Cathode Ray Tube).
  11. (nautical) A fitting placed across the head of the rudder with a line attached at each end by which a boat may be steered. In modern use it is primarily found in sailing canoes and kayaks.
  12. (agriculture, dated, uncommon) A cowpoke.
  13. (glassblowing) A Y-shaped stand used to support a blowpipe or punty while reheating in the glory hole.
  14. (engineering) A bent crosspiece connecting two other parts.
  15. A tie securing two timbers together, not used for part of a regular truss, but serving a temporary purpose, as to provide against unusual strain.
  16. (dressmaking) A band shaped to fit the shoulders or the hips, and joined to the upper full edge of the waist or the skirt.
  17. The amount of land ploughed in a day by a pair of oxen.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Gardner to this entry?)
  18. A portion of the working day.
    to work two yokes, i.e. to work both morning and afternoon
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Halliwell to this entry?)
  19. (informal, Ireland) A miscellaneous object; a gadget.
  20. (slang, Ireland) Pill of a psychoactive drug.
  21. Misspelling of yolk.
Synonyms
  • (aviation): control wheel
Derived terms
Translations

Verb

yoke ‎(third-person singular simple present yokes, present participle yoking, simple past and past participle yoked)

  1. To link or to join.
  2. To unite, to connect.
    • Bible, 2 Corinthians vi. 14
      Be ye not unequally yoked with unbelievers.
  3. To enslave; to bring into bondage; to restrain; to confine.
    • Milton
      Then were they yoked with garrisons.
    • Hudibras
      The words and promises that yoke / The conqueror are quickly broke.
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 2

Noun

yoke

  1. Misspelling of yolk.

Etymology

From Old English ġeoc, from Proto-Germanic *juką, from Proto-Indo-European *yugóm. Cognate with West Frisian jok, Dutch juk, German Joch, Danish åg, Swedish ok, Gothic 𐌾𐌿𐌺 ‎(juk), Latin iugum (English jugular), Ancient Greek ζυγός ‎(zugós, “yoke”), Sanskrit युग ‎(yugá, “yoke, team”), Old Church Slavonic иго ‎(igo) (Russian и́го ‎(ígo)), Persian یوغ ‎(yuğ). Compare yoga.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) enPR: yōk, IPA(key): /jəʊk/
  • Rhymes: -əʊk
  • Homophone: yolk

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