yard 1
/yahrd/ , n.
1. a common unit of linear measure in English-speaking countries, equal to 3 feet or 36 inches, and equivalent to 0.9144 meter.
2. Naut. a long spar, supported more or less at its center, to which the head of a square sail, lateen sail, or lugsail is bent.
3. yard-of-ale.
4. Informal. a large quantity or extent.
5. Slang. one hundred or, usually, one thousand dollars.
6. the whole nine yards , Informal.
a. everything that is pertinent, appropriate, or available.
b. in all ways; in every respect; all the way: If you want to run for mayor, I'll be with you the whole nine yards.
[ bef. 900; ME yerd ( e ), OE (Anglian) gerd orig., straight twig; c. D gard, G Gerte rod ]
yard 2
/yahrd/ , n.
1. the ground that immediately adjoins or surrounds a house, public building, or other structure.
2. an enclosed area outdoors, often paved and surrounded by or adjacent to a building; court.
3. an outdoor enclosure designed for the exercise of students, inmates, etc.: a prison yard.
4. an outdoor space surrounded by a group of buildings, as on a college campus.
5. a pen or other enclosure for livestock.
6. an enclosure within which any work or business is carried on (often used in combination): navy yard; a brickyard.
7. an outside area used for storage, assembly, or the like.
8. Railroads. a system of parallel tracks, crossovers, switches, etc., where cars are switched and made up into trains and where cars, locomotives, and other rolling stock are kept when not in use or when awaiting repairs.
9. a piece of ground set aside for cultivation; garden; field.
10. the winter pasture or browsing ground of moose and deer.
11. the Yard , Brit. See Scotland Yard (def. 2).
v.t.
12. to put into, enclose, or store in a yard.
[ bef. 900; ME yerd, OE geard enclosure; c. D gaard garden, ON garthr yard, Goth gards house, L hortus garden, OIr gort field; akin to GARDEN ]