I. ˈpärk, ˈpȧk noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French parc enclosure, enclosure for animals, park, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin parricus enclosure (whence Medieval Latin parricus ), perhaps from Latin pertica pole, measuring rod, parcel of land measured off with such a rod — more at perch
1.
a. English law : an enclosed piece of ground stocked with beasts of the chase and held by royal prescription or grant — compare chase II 3, forest 1
b. Britain : a tract of land often including lawns, woodland, and pasture attached to a country house and used as a game preserve and for other purposes of recreation and manorial life
2. : a tract of land maintained by a city or town as a place of beauty or of public recreation
3. : a large area often of forested land reserved from settlement and maintained in its natural state for public use (as by campers or hunters) or as a wildlife refuge
4. dialect England : hayfield , pasture
5.
a.
(1) : a level valley between mountain ranges
(2) chiefly West : an open area surrounded or partly surrounded by woodland and suitable for grazing or cultivation
b. : open grassland interrupted by clumps of trees, forbs, and shrubby vegetation
6.
a. : a space occupied by military animals, vehicles, pontoons, or materials of any kind (as ammunition, ordnance stores, hospital stores, or provisions) ; also : the objects themselves
a park of artillery
b. : parking lot
7. : an enclosed basin in which oysters are grown arranged so that the water may be renewed at high tide : claire
8. : a large enclosed area used for sports ; especially : ball park
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1.
a. : to enclose in or as if in a park
b. : to make a park of
2.
a.
(1) : to bring to a stop and keep standing (as a motor vehicle) at the edge of a public way
had never learned to park a car properly
(2) : to leave temporarily on a public way or in an open space assigned or maintained for occupancy by automobiles
parked his car behind the building
(3) : to leave (a vehicle) in an accessible place
parked his car in the garage and came in to dinner
b. : to set out (a railroad sleeping car) for occupancy before departure from or after arrival at a station
c. : to land or leave an airplane in an assigned or accessible location
flew back to the carrier and parked the little fighter on the flight deck
3.
a. : to set and leave in a particular place usually to be picked up later
parked his bag at the club
b. : to deposit, settle, or establish especially for a considerable time
parked himself in an easy chair
the … anxiety that they might feel about parking the baby — J.M.Barzun
4. : to assemble (as artillery, vehicles, or stores) in a military dump or park
intransitive verb
1. : to park a vehicle
after landing on the runway, private owners used to park at the far edge
looked for a place to park long enough to run a few errands
2. : to stop a vehicle in a secluded place to engage in lovemaking
parked with his girl in a local lovers' lane