yoke

Meaning

Noun

1. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
2. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
3. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
4. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
5. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
6. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
7. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
8. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
9. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
10. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
11. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
12. (US) Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
13. (historical) Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
14. (historical) Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
15. (Ancient-Rome, historical) Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
16. (historical) Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.
17. (archaic) Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.
18. (Ireland, Scotland) Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.
19. (Ireland, informal) Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.
20. (Ireland, informal) Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.
21. (Ireland, slang) Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.
22. (Kent, archaic) Senses relating to quantities, and other extended uses.
23. (England, Kent, Scotland, also, especially, historical) Senses relating to quantities, and other extended uses.
24. (figuratively) Senses relating to quantities, and other extended uses.
25. (figuratively) Senses relating to quantities, and other extended uses.

Verb

1. (transitive) To join (several draught animals) together with a yoke; also, to fasten a yoke (on one or more draught animals) to pull a cart, plough, etc.; or to attach (a cart, plough, etc.) to a draught animal.
2. (transitive) To put (one's arm or arms) around someone's neck, waist, etc.; also, to surround (someone's neck, waist, etc.) with one's arms.
3. (transitive) To put (something) around someone's neck like a yoke; also, to surround (someone's neck) with something.
4. (historical, transitive) To place a collar on the neck of (a conquered person or prisoner) to restrain movement.
5. (historical, transitive) To place a frame on the neck of (an animal such as a cow, pig, or goose) to prevent passage through a fence or other barrier.
6. (figuratively, transitive) To bring (two or more people or things) into a close relationship (often one that is undesired); to connect, to link, to unite.
7. (figuratively, transitive) To bring into or keep (someone) in bondage or a state of submission; to enslave or subject to wage slavery; to confine, to restrain; to oppress, to subjugate.
8. (Scotland, archaic, transitive) To be joined to (another person) in wedlock (often with the implication that it is a burdensome state); to be or become married to (someone).
9. (intransitive) To be or become connected, linked, or united in a relationship; to have dealings with.
10. (Scotland, intransitive, obsolete) To be or become joined in wedlock; to be married, to wed.

Synonyms

oppression

harness

pair

span

join

couple

👫

link

🔗

brace

collar

distich

bind

dyad

coupling

attach

string

🪢

tie

relate

twain

2

duo

hitch up

duet

duad

twosome

fetters

couplet

bound

doublet

bond

drift

driftage

attach to

joint

interrelate

consignment

bib

append

commit

come to

bear upon

head stack

colligate

greed

hitch

gluttony

hook up

humiliation

bear on

associate

gear

⚙️

chains

⛓️

Translations

joug

yugo

Joch

giogo

jou

iugum

juk

jugo

boyunduruk

nîr

aggiogare

canga

junyir

aanspannen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/jəʊk/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: yok

Inherited from Old English: ġeoc

Inherited from Middle English: yoken

Inherited from Old English: ġeocian

In summary

From Middle English yok, yoke, ȝok from Old English ġeoc (“yoke”), from Proto-Germanic *juką (“yoke”), from Proto-Indo-European *yugóm (“yoke”), from *yewg- (“to join; to tie together, yoke”). Doublet of yuga, jugum, yoga and possibly yogh.
Senses 3.1 (“area of arable land”) and 3.2 (“amount of work done with draught animals”) probably referred to the area of land that could generally be ploughed by yoked draught animals within a given time.