/ pɑːk; NAmE pɑːrk/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ C ] an area of public land in a town or a city where people go to walk, play and relax :
Hyde Park
We went for a walk in the park.
a park bench
2.
[ C ] (in compounds) an area of land used for a particular purpose :
a business / science park
a wildlife park
—see also amusement park , car park , national park , retail park , safari park , theme park
3.
[ C ] (in Britain) an area of land, usually with fields and trees, attached to a large country house
4.
[ C ] ( NAmE ) a piece of land for playing sports, especially baseball
—see also ballpark
5.
the park [ sing. ] ( BrE ) a football ( soccer ) or rugby field :
the fastest man on the park
■ verb
1.
to leave a vehicle that you are driving in a particular place for a period of time :
[ v , vn ]
You can't park here.
You can't park the car here.
[ v ]
He's parked very badly.
[ vn ]
a badly parked truck
A red van was parked in front of the house.
a parked car
( informal , figurative )
Just park your bags in the hall until your room is ready.
—see also double-park
2.
[ vn + adv. / prep. ] park yourself ( informal ) to sit or stand in a particular place for a period of time :
She parked herself on the edge of the bed.
3.
[ vn ] ( informal , business ) to decide to leave an idea or issue to be dealt with or considered at a later meeting :
Let's park that until our next meeting.
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French parc , from medieval Latin parricus , of Germanic origin; related to German Pferch pen, fold, also to paddock . The word was originally a legal term designating land held by royal grant for keeping game animals: this was enclosed and therefore distinct from a forest or chase , and (also unlike a forest ) had no special laws or officers. A military sense space occupied by artillery, wagons, stores, etc., in an encampment (late 17th cent.) is the origin of the verb sense (mid 19th cent.) and of sense 2 (early 20th cent.).