yoke

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yoke

a working frame for oxen

Not to be confused with:

yolk – the yellow of an egg

yoke

(yōk)

a. A contoured crossbar having two U-shaped attachments that fit around the necks of a team of oxen or other draft animals, with a central ring for hitching the team to a cart, plow, or other load.

b. pl. yoke or yokes A pair of draft animals, such as oxen, joined by a yoke.

c. A bar used with a double harness to connect the collar of each horse to the pole of a wagon or coach.

2. A frame designed to be carried across a person's shoulders with equal loads suspended from each end.

3. Nautical A crossbar on a ship's rudder to which the steering cables are connected.

4. A clamp or vise that holds a machine part in place or controls its movement or that holds two such parts together.

5. A piece of a garment that is closely fitted, either around the neck and shoulders or at the hips, and from which an unfitted or gathered part of the garment is hung.

6. Something that connects or joins together; a bond or tie.

7. Electronics A series of two or more magnetic recording heads fastened securely together for playing or recording on more than one track simultaneously.

a. Any of various emblems of subjugation, such as a structure made of two upright spears with a third laid across them, under which conquered enemies of ancient Rome were forced to march in subjection.

b. The condition of being subjugated by or as if by a conqueror; subjugation or bondage: 14th-century Russia under the Tatar yoke; the yoke of drug addiction.

v. yoked, yok·ing, yokes

v.tr.

1. To fit or join with a yoke.

a. To harness a draft animal to.

b. To harness (a draft animal) to a vehicle or an implement.

3. To join together; bind: partners who were yoked together for life.

4. To force into heavy labor, bondage, or subjugation.

v.intr.

To become joined.

[Middle English, from Old English geoc; see yeug- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

yoke

(jəʊk)

n, pl yokes or yoke

1. (Agriculture) a wooden frame, usually consisting of a bar with an oxbow or similar collar-like piece at either end, for attaching to the necks of a pair of draught animals, esp oxen, so that they can be worked as a team

2. (Tools) something resembling a yoke in form or function, such as a frame fitting over a person's shoulders for carrying buckets suspended at either end

3. (Clothing & Fashion) a fitted part of a garment, esp around the neck, shoulders, and chest or around the hips, to which a gathered, pleated, flared, or unfitted part is attached

4. an immense oppressive force or burden: under the yoke of a tyrant.

5. (Agriculture) a pair of oxen or other draught animals joined together by a yoke

6. (Mechanical Engineering) a part, esp one of relatively thick cross section, that secures two or more components so that they move together

7. (Mechanical Engineering) a crosshead that transmits the drive of an opposed piston engine from the upper of a pair of linked pistons to the crankshaft through a connecting rod

8. (Building) a steel framework around the formwork during the casting of concrete

9. (Nautical Terms) nautical a crossbar fixed athwartships to the head of a rudderpost in a small boat, to which are attached ropes or cables for steering

10. (Tools) a Y-shaped cable, rope, or chain, used for holding, towing, etc

11. (Historical Terms) (in the ancient world) a symbolic reconstruction of a yoke, consisting of two upright spears with a third lashed across them, under which conquered enemies were compelled to march, esp in Rome

12. a mark, token, or symbol of slavery, subjection, or suffering

13. rare a link, tie, or bond: the yoke of love.

14. (Agriculture) dialect Brit a period of steady work, esp the time during which a ploughman and his team work at a stretch

15. (Tools) Irish any device, unusual object, or gadget: where's the yoke for opening tins?.

16. (Agriculture) (tr) to secure or harness (a draught animal) to (a plough, vehicle, etc) by means of a yoke

17. to join or be joined by means of a yoke; couple, unite, or link

18. (tr) obsolete to oppress, burden, or enslave

[Old English geoc; related to Old High German ioh, Old Norse ok, Gothic juk, Latin iugum, Sanskrit yugam]

ˈyokeless adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

yoke

(yoʊk)

n., pl. yokes for 1,3-20, yoke for 2; n.

1. a device for joining together a pair of draft animals, esp. oxen, usu. consisting of a crosspiece with two bow-shaped pieces, each enclosing the head of an animal. Compare harness (def. 1).

2. a pair of draft animals fastened together by a yoke.

3. something resembling a yoke in form or use.

4. a frame fitting a person's neck and shoulders, for carrying a pair of buckets or the like.

5. an agency of oppression, servitude, etc.

6. an emblem or symbol of subjection, servitude, 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; bond or tie.

8. a viselike piece gripping two parts firmly together.

9. a fitting for the neck of a draft animal for suspending the tongue of a cart, carriage, etc., from a harness.

10. (in an airplane) a double handle, somewhat like a steering wheel in form, by which the elevators are controlled.

11. a crossbar on the head of a rudder, rigged so that a boat can be steered from forward.

12. a shaped and fitted piece in a garment, as at the shoulders or the hips, from which the rest of the garment hangs.

13. 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.

v.t.

14. to put a yoke on.

15. to attach (a draft animal) to a plow or vehicle.

16. to harness a draft animal to (a plow or vehicle).

17. to join, couple, link, or unite.

18. Obs. to bring into subjection or servitude.

v.i.

19. to be or become joined, linked, or united.

[before 900; Old English geoc, c. Old High German joh, Old Norse ok, Latin jugum, Greek zygón, Skt yugám]

Yoke

a pair of animals, especially oxen, that are or may be coupled by a yoke, hence, a pair or couple of animals, things, or persons.

Examples: yoke of bulls, 1660; of cattle, 1879; of discarded men, 1598; of oxen, c. 1200.

yoke

Past participle: yoked
Gerund: yoking

Imperative
yoke
yoke

Present
I yoke
you yoke
he/she/it yokes
we yoke
you yoke
they yoke

Preterite
I yoked
you yoked
he/she/it yoked
we yoked
you yoked
they yoked

Present Continuous
I am yoking
you are yoking
he/she/it is yoking
we are yoking
you are yoking
they are yoking

Present Perfect
I have yoked
you have yoked
he/she/it has yoked
we have yoked
you have yoked
they have yoked

Past Continuous
I was yoking
you were yoking
he/she/it was yoking
we were yoking
you were yoking
they were yoking

Past Perfect
I had yoked
you had yoked
he/she/it had yoked
we had yoked
you had yoked
they had yoked

Future
I will yoke
you will yoke
he/she/it will yoke
we will yoke
you will yoke
they will yoke

Future Perfect
I will have yoked
you will have yoked
he/she/it will have yoked
we will have yoked
you will have yoked
they will have yoked

Future Continuous
I will be yoking
you will be yoking
he/she/it will be yoking
we will be yoking
you will be yoking
they will be yoking

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been yoking
you have been yoking
he/she/it has been yoking
we have been yoking
you have been yoking
they have been yoking

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been yoking
you will have been yoking
he/she/it will have been yoking
we will have been yoking
you will have been yoking
they will have been yoking

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been yoking
you had been yoking
he/she/it had been yoking
we had been yoking
you had been yoking
they had been yoking

Conditional
I would yoke
you would yoke
he/she/it would yoke
we would yoke
you would yoke
they would yoke

Past Conditional
I would have yoked
you would have yoked
he/she/it would have yoked
we would have yoked
you would have yoked
they would have yoked

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

yoke

A part of a garment that is fitted around the neck or shoulders and to which the rest of the garment is attached.

Yoke

A wooden bar attached by wooden bows to the necks of a pair of draft animals such as oxen. The yoke could then be connected to the implement to be pulled. Yokes tended to choke horses and mules so, for them, Collars and Harness were used. Also, see Neck yoke.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	yoke - fabric comprising a fitted part at the top of a garment cloth, fabric, textile, material - artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers; "the fabric in the curtains was light and semitransparent"; "woven cloth originated in Mesopotamia around 5000 BC"; "she measured off enough material for a dress" garment - an article of clothing; "garments of the finest silk" tucker - a detachable yoke of linen or lace worn over the breast of a low-cut dress
	2.	yoke - an oppressive power; "under the yoke of a tyrant"; "they threw off the yoke of domination" oppression - the state of being kept down by unjust use of force or authority: "after years of oppression they finally revolted"
	3.	yoke - two items of the same kind couplet, distich, duad, duet, duo, dyad, twain, twosome, brace, pair, span, couple fellow, mate - one of a pair; "he lost the mate to his shoe"; "one eye was blue but its fellow was brown" 2, II, two, deuce - the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number doubleton - (bridge) a pair of playing cards that are the only cards in their suit in the hand dealt to a player
	4.	yoke - a pair of draft animals joined by a yoke; "pulled by a yoke of oxen" pair - two people considered as a unit
	5.	yoke - support consisting of a wooden frame across the shoulders that enables a person to carry buckets hanging from each end support - any device that bears the weight of another thing; "there was no place to attach supports for a shelf"
	6.	yoke - a connection (like a clamp or vise) between two things so they move together coupling connecter, connector, connective, connection, connexion - an instrumentality that connects; "he soldered the connection"; "he didn't have the right connector between the amplifier and the speakers"
	7.	yoke - stable gear that joins two draft animals at the neck so they can work together as a team saddlery, stable gear, tack - gear for a horse
Verb	1.	yoke - become joined or linked together animal husbandry - breeding and caring for farm animals conjoin, join - make contact or come together; "The two roads join here"
	2.	yoke - link with or as with a yoke; "yoke the oxen together" link animal husbandry - breeding and caring for farm animals attach - cause to be attached
	3.	yoke - put a yoke on or join with a yoke; "Yoke the draft horses together" animal husbandry - breeding and caring for farm animals attach - cause to be attached inspan - attach a yoke or harness to; "inspan the draft animals" unyoke - remove the yoke from; "unyoke the cow"

yoke

noun

1. oppression, slavery, bondage, servitude, service, burden, enslavement, serfdom, servility, vassalage, thraldom People are suffering under the yoke of capitalism.

2. harness, coupling, tackle, chain, collar, tack He put a yoke around his body and pulled along the cart.

verb

1. unite, join, link, tie, bond, bind, connect They are yoked by money and votes.

2. harness, join, couple, link, tie, connect, bracket, hitch a plough team of eight oxen yoked in pairs

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

yoke

noun

1. Two items of the same kind together:

brace, couple, couplet, doublet, duet, duo, match, pair, two, twosome.

2. That which unites or binds:

bond, knot, ligament, ligature, link, nexus, tie, vinculum.

3. A state of subjugation to an owner or master:

bondage, enslavement, helotry, serfdom, servileness, servility, servitude, slavery, thrall, thralldom, villeinage.

verb

To bring or come together into a united whole:

coalesce, combine, compound, concrete, conjoin, conjugate, connect, consolidate, couple, join, link, marry, meld, unify, unite, wed.

Translations

Spanish / Español

Select a language:

yugo uncir

yoke

[jəʊk]

A. N (yokes or yoke (pl))

1. [of oxen] → yunta f; (carried on shoulder) → balancín m, percha f (fig) → yugo m
under the yoke of the Nazis → bajo el yugo de los nazis
to throw off the yoke → sacudir el yugo

2. (on dress, blouse) → canesú m

B. VT (also yoke together) [+ oxen] → uncir (fig) → unir

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

yoke

(jəuk) noun

1. a wooden frame placed over the necks of oxen to hold them together when they are pulling a cart etc. yugo

2. a frame placed across a person's shoulders, for carrying buckets etc. balancín

3. something that weighs people down, or prevents them being free. the yoke of slavery.yugo

4. the part of a garment that fits over the shoulders and round the neck. a black dress with a white yoke.canesú

verb

to join with a yoke. He yoked the oxen to the plough.uncir

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

And it is not certain, that with this aid alone they would not be able to shake off their yokes. But were the people to possess the additional advantages of local governments chosen by themselves, who could collect the national will and direct the national force, and of officers appointed out of the militia, by these governments, and attached both to them and to the militia, it may be affirmed with the greatest assurance, that the throne of every tyranny in Europe would be speedily overturned in spite of the legions which surround it.

The same combinations, in short, would result from an apprehension of the federal, as was produced by the dread of a foreign, yoke; and unless the projected innovations should be voluntarily renounced, the same appeal to a trial of force would be made in the one case as was made in the other.

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Thy ruling thought would I hear of, and not that thou hast escaped from a yoke.

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I heard a chain dragging along the ground, and a yoke of the great sulky white bullocks that drag the heavy siege guns when the elephants won't go any nearer to the firing, came shouldering along together.

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Shortly afterwards, at the harvest festival, the owner released the Ox from his yoke, but bound the Heifer with cords and led him away to the altar to be slain in honor of the occasion.

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In return, I will offer you in sacrifice a broad-browed heifer of a year old, unbroken, and never yet brought by man under the yoke. I will gild her horns, and will offer her up to you in sacrifice."

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The woman was cowed and went off disconsolately, hanging her head; and the governor said to the man, "Honest man, go home with your money, and God speed you; and for the future, if you don't want to lose it, see that you don't take it into your head to yoke with anybody." The man thanked him as clumsily as he could and went his way, and the bystanders were again filled with admiration at their new governor's judgments and sentences.

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When the archers had stepped forward, the herald rose and proclaimed the rules of the game: how that each man should shoot three shots, and to him who shot best the prize of a yoke of fat steers should belong.

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All they had to do was yoke their oxen an' go after it, an' the Pacific Ocean thousands of miles to the west, an' all them thousands of miles an' millions of farms just waitin' to be took up.

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We indulged a melancholy pleasure in reflecting what that great man had achieved for the deliverance of Abyssinia, from the yoke and tyranny of the Moors; the voyages he had undertaken; the battles he had fought; the victories he had won; and the cruel and tragical death he had suffered.

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SOUTH of the armory of Westminster Palace lay the gardens, and here, on the third day following the King's affront to De Vac, might have been a seen a blackhaired woman gowned in a violet cyclas, richly embroidered with gold about the yoke and at the bottom of the loose-pointed sleeves, which reached almost to the similar bordering on the lower hem of the garment.

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From the body of the car there went a pole of silver, on to the end of which she bound the golden yoke, with the bands of gold that were to go under the necks of the horses Then Juno put her steeds under the yoke, eager for battle and the war-cry.

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