yoke 1
— yokeless , adj.
/yohk/ , n. , pl. yokes for 1, 3-20, yoke for 2; v. , yoked, yoking .
n.
1. a device for joining together a pair of draft animals, esp. oxen, usually consisting of a crosspiece with two bow-shaped pieces, each enclosing the head of an animal. Cf. harness (def. 1).
2. a pair of draft animals fastened together by a yoke: five yoke of oxen.
3. something resembling a yoke or a bow of a yoke in form or use.
4. a frame fitting the neck and shoulders of a person, for carrying a pair of buckets or the like, one at each end.
5. an agency of oppression, subjection, servitude, etc.
6. an emblem or symbol of subjection, servitude, slavery, etc., as an archway under which prisoners of war were compelled to pass by the ancient Romans and others.
7. something that couples or binds together; a bond or tie.
8. Mach. a viselike piece gripping two parts firmly together.
9. Also called fork . a forklike termination for a rod or shaft, inside which another part is secured.
10. a fitting for the neck of a draft animal for suspending the tongue of a cart, carriage, etc., from a harness.
11. a crosshead attached to the upper piston of an opposed-piston engine with rods to transmit power to the crankshaft.
12. (in an airplane) a double handle, somewhat like a steering wheel in form, by which the elevators are controlled.
13. Naut. a crossbar on the head of the rudder of a small boat, having lines or chains attached to the ends so as to permit the steering of the boat from forward.
14. See spreader beam .
15. a shaped piece in a garment, fitted about or below the neck and shoulders or about the hips, from which the rest of the garment hangs.
16. a horizontal piece forming the top of a window frame. See diag. under double-hung .
17. a Y-shaped piece connecting branch pipes with a main soil pipe.
18. Television. an electromagnetic assembly placed around the neck of a cathode-ray tube to produce and control the scanning motion of electron beams inside the tube.
19. Brit. Dial. (esp. in Kent)
a. the time during which a plowman and team work without stopping; a period of plowing.
b. a measure or area of land equal to over 50 but less than 60 acres.
20. a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter Y.
v.t.
21. to put a yoke on; join or couple by means of a yoke.
22. to attach (a draft animal) to a plow or vehicle: to yoke oxen.
23. to harness a draft animal to (a plow or vehicle): to yoke a wagon.
24. to join, couple, link, or unite.
25. Obs. to bring into subjection or servitude.
v.i.
26. to be or become joined, linked, or united.
[ bef. 900; (n.) ME yok ( e ), OE geoc; c. D juk, G Joch, ON ok, L jugum, Gk zygón, Hittite yugan, Skt yuga; (v.) ME yoken, OE geocian, deriv. of the n. ]
Syn. 2. See pair .
yoke 2
/yohk/ , n.
yolk.