yoke

noun

1. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.

   “Thy seruant in walking thy pastures aboute: / for yokes, forkes and rakes, let him loke to finde oute. / And after at leyser let this be his hier: / to trimme them and make them at home by the fier.”

   “The Oxe hath therefore ſtretcht his yoake in vaine, / The Ploughman loſt his ſweat, and the greene corne / Hath rotted, ere his youth attainde a bearde: […]”

   “Firſt let 'em [horses] run at large; and never know / The taming Yoak, or draw the crooked Plough.”

   “A yearling bullock to thy name ſhall ſmoke, / Untam'd, unconſcious of the galling yoke, / With ample forehead, and yet tender horns / Whoſe budding honours ductile gold adorns.”

   “Joyous, th' impatient huſbandman perceives / Relenting Nature, and his luſty ſteers / Drives from their ſtalls, to where the well-us'd plough / Lies in the furrow, looſened from the froſt. / There, unrefuſing, to the harneſs'd yoke / They lend their ſhoulder, and begin their toil, / Chear'd by the ſimple ſong and ſoaring lark.”

2. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.

   “Steam Engines. […] The valve rods are coupled by connecting-rods […] and yokes[…], to eccentrics[…].”

3. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.

   “And whenever to rest she her buckets set down, / She jingled her yokes to and fro, / And her yokes she might jingle till morn—a rude clown, / Ere he it seem'd offered to go.”

   “The speaker, who had been carrying a pair of pails on a yoke, deposited them upon the edge of the pavement in front of the inn, and straightened his back to an excruciating perpendicular.”

4. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
5. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
6. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.

   “Nothing says you're a dedicated lifter and true athlete more than a massive yoke—that is, the muscles of the neck, traps, and rear delts.”

7. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.

   “The country children thereabouts wore their dresses to their shoe-tops, but this city child was dressed in what was then called the "Kate Greenaway" manner, and her red cashmere frock, gathered full from the yoke, came almost to the floor.”

   “The dresses her mother made looked ugly, even obscene, for her breasts were well grown, and the yokes emphasized them, showing flattened bulges under the tight band of material; and the straight falling line of the skit was spoiled by her full hips.”

8. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
9. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
10. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
11. Senses relating to a frame around the neck.

    “A light whale-boat, handsomely painted, and fitted out with stern seats, yoke, tiller-ropes, &c. hung on the starboard quarter, and was used as the gig. […] The bow-man had charge of the boat-hook and painter, and the coxswain of the rudder, yoke, and stern-sheets.”

12. (US)Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
13. (historical)Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
14. (historical)Senses relating to a frame around the neck.

    “Strong yoke for a hog, with a twicher and rings, / with tar in a tarpot, for dangerous things: […]”

    “Each hog had a wooden triangular yoke about its neck, by which it was hindered from penetrating through the holes in the encloſures; and for this reaſon, the encloſures are made very ſlender, and eaſy to put up, and do not require much wood.”

15. (Ancient-Rome, historical)Senses relating to a frame around the neck.

    “[H]is will and pleaſure was they ſhould paſſe all under the yoke or gallows: the maner wherof is this. They took three ſpears or javelins, and ſet two of them pitched in the ground endlong, and their overthwart faſtned unto the other. Under this kind of gallows the Dictator compelled the Æquians to go.”

    “[T]he Æqui being attacked on both ſides and unable to reſiſt or fly, begged a ceſſation of arms. They offered the dictator his own terms; he gave them their lives, but obliged them, in token of ſervitude, to paſs under the yoke, which was two ſpears ſet upright, and another acroſs, in the form of a door, beneath which the vanquiſhed were to march.”

16. (historical)Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.

    “I have bought fyve yooke of oxẽ [oxen]⸝ ãd I must goo to prove thẽ⸝ I praye the have me excuſed.”

    “One yoke of cattle became so foot sore that they were unserviceable, and we were obliged to drive them behind the wagon.”

17. (archaic)Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.

    “[T]heſe that accuſe him in his intent towards our wiues, are a yoake of his diſcarded men: very rogues, now they be out of ſeruice.”

    “[T]hese whales, influenced by some views to safety, now swim the seas in immense caravans, so that to a large degree the scattered solitaries, yokes, and pods, and schools of other days are now aggregated into vast but widely separated, unfrequent armies.”

18. (Ireland, Scotland)Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.

    “[…] I missed the train home and I couldn't get any kind of a yoke to give me a lift for, as luck would have it, there was a mass meeting that same day over in Castletownroche and all the cars in the country were there.”

19. (Ireland, informal)Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.

    “These three yokes [AK-47s] we're throwin' them up to them [CIRA]^([sic]) either way…”

20. (Ireland, informal)Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.
21. (Ireland, slang)Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals.
22. (Kent, archaic)Senses relating to quantities, and other extended uses.

    “Of this ſuling Ralph de Curbeſpine holds one yoke and an half, which is and was worth ſeparately ten ſhillings. Adelold had half a ſuling and half a yoke, and in the time of K. Edward the Confeſſor it was worth 40 ſhillings, and afterwards 20 ſhillings, now 40 ſhillings.”

23. (England, Kent, Scotland, also, especially, historical)Senses relating to quantities, and other extended uses.

    “to work two yokes”

24. (figuratively)Senses relating to quantities, and other extended uses.

    “[I]n companions / That do conuerſe and waſte the time together, / Whoſe ſoules do beare an equall yoke of loue, / There muſt be needs a like proportion / Of lineaments, of manners, and of ſpirit […]”

    “Such were his Looks, ſo gracefully he ſpoke, / That were I not reſolv'd againſt the Yoke / Of hapleſs Marriage; […] / To this one Error I might yield again: […]”

    “And, if thou needs must bear the yoke, I wish it / Gentle as freedom […]”

    “First of all, gentlemen, I have been observing you both for the last two days, and if you will not think me impertinent I will say that I like you, and think that we shall come up well to the yoke together.”

25. (figuratively)Senses relating to quantities, and other extended uses.

    “Their mothers bed-chamber ſhould not be ſafe, / For theſe baſe bond-men to the yoake of Rome.”

    “Whereupon our enemies, kindled with rage, and pricked forward with an ignominious indignity, leſt they ſhould be brought under the yoke of a womans government, with a strong power of choiſe youth, by force of armes invaded her kingdome, which was foreſeen by us: […]”

    “O ſhameleſſe boldneſſe! which can in defence / Of meek Religion, put on Barbarouſnes, / And make the Bond of Sweetnes a pretence / To break all other yoakes; […]”

    “For Kings to com, never forgetting thir former Ejection, will be ſure to fortify and arm themſelves ſufficiently for the future againſt all ſuch Attempts hereafter from the People: who ſhall be then ſo narrowly watch'd and kept ſo low, that […] they never ſhall be able to regain what they now have purchas'd and may enjoy, or to free themſelves from any Yoke impos'd upon them: […]”

    “[I]t frequently happens that a very poor judge, merely by force of a greater complexional ſenſibility, is more affected by a very poor piece, than the beſt judge by the moſt perfect; […] the judgment is for the greater part employed in throwing ſtumbling blocks in the way of the imagination, in diſſipating the ſcenes of its enchantment, and in tying us down to the diſagreeable yoke of our reaſon: […]”

26. (alt-of, misspelling)Misspelling of yolk.
27. radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter Y.

verb

1. (transitive)To join (several draught animals) together with a yoke; also, to fasten a yoke (on one or more draught animals) to pull a cart, plough, etc.; or to attach (a cart, plough, etc.) to a draught animal.

   “Bubulcus, […] An oxeheard, or coweheard: a driuer of oxen and kine: he that yoketh oxen, and […] goeth to plowe with them.”

   “But when Astrea’s Ballance, hung on high, / Betwixt the Nights and Days divides the Sky, / Then Yoke your Oxen, ſow your Winter Grain; / ’Till cold December comes with driving Rain.”

   “Theſe on their Horſes vault, thoſe yoke the Car; / The reſt with Swords on high, run headlong to the War.”

   “However, it is probable that even the fierceſt could be rendered domeſtic, if man thought the conqueſt worth the trouble. Lions have been yoked to the chariots of conquerors, and tigers have been taught to tend thoſe herds which they are known at preſent to deſtroy; […]”

   “Nodhas, son of Gotama, has fabricated this new prayer to thee, O India, who art eternal, and yokest thy coursers, […]”

2. (transitive)To put (one's arm or arms) around someone's neck, waist, etc.; also, to surround (someone's neck, waist, etc.) with one's arms.
3. (transitive)To put (something) around someone's neck like a yoke; also, to surround (someone's neck) with something.
4. (historical, transitive)To place a collar on the neck of (a conquered person or prisoner) to restrain movement.
5. (historical, transitive)To place a frame on the neck of (an animal such as a cow, pig, or goose) to prevent passage through a fence or other barrier.
6. (figuratively, transitive)To bring (two or more people or things) into a close relationship (often one that is undesired); to connect, to link, to unite.

   “Ranchers were yoked together with farmers on the issue.”

   “Oh then, my beſt blood turne / To an infected Gelly, and my Name / Be yoak'd with his, that did betray the Beſt: […]”

   “The Author of Juchaſin yoketh him in the ſame time and the ſame ſociety with Rabban Jochanan ben Zacchai, who flouriſhed in the times of Chriſts being upon earth, and till after the deſtruction of Ieruſalem: […]”

   “There's the kingdom o' Fife, frae Borrowstownness to the east nook, it's just like a great combined city—Sae mony royal boroughs yoked on end to end, like ropes of ingans, […]”

   “What trespass canst find, son of Kronos, in me, / That thou yokest me ever to pain? / Woe! Ah, woe!”

7. (figuratively, transitive)To bring into or keep (someone) in bondage or a state of submission; to enslave or subject to confine, to restrain; to oppress, to subjugate.

   “For thys frayltie, that yoketh all mankynde, / Thou shalt awake, and rue this mysereye: / Rue on Syon.”

   “It is moſt certaine, that vice putteth on a viſard, and goeth diſguiſed and couered with goodly ſhewes that belong onely to vertue, […] And being thus clothed, with the helpe of corruptible pleaſures that lightly paſſe away, it yoketh baſe minded men, whoſe care is onely ſet vpon the deſire of earthly things, […]”

   “Theſe are his ſubſtance, ſinewes, armes, and ſtrength, / With which he yoaketh your rebellious Neckes, / Razeth your Cities, and ſubuerts your Townes, / And in a moment makes them deſolate.”

   “[T]he practiſe of the Normans, who as a monument of the Conqueſt, would have yoaked the Engliſh vnder their tongue, as they did vnder their command, by compelling them to teach their children in ſchooles nothing but French, […]”

   “For Words and Promises that yoke / The Conqu’ror, are quickly broke, / Like Samson’s Cuffs, though by his own / Direction and advice put on.”

8. (Scotland, archaic, transitive)To be joined to (another person) in wedlock (often with the implication that it is a burdensome state); to be or become married to (someone).

   “God ſir be a man, / Thinke euery bearded fellow, that's but yoak'd, / May draw with you, […]”

   “Be ye not vnequally yoked with vnbeleeuers: for what fellowſhip hath righteouſneſſe with vnrighteouſneſſe? and what communion hath light with darkneſſe?”

   “In short, I have the honour to be yoked to a young lady, who is, in plain English, for her standing, a very eminent scold.”

   “My bride, / My wife, my life. O we will walk this world, / Yoked in all exercise of noble end, / And so thro' those dark gates across the wild / That no man knows.”

9. (intransitive)To be or become connected, linked, or united in a relationship; to have dealings with.

   “[I]f you will paſſe / To where you are bound, you muſt enquire your way, / Which you are out of, with a gentler ſpirit, / Or neuer be ſo Noble as a Conſull, / Nor yoake with him for Tribune.”

   “And should your greatness, and the care / That yokes with empire, yield you time / To make demand of modern rhyme / If aught of ancient worth be there; […]”

10. (Scotland, intransitive, obsolete)To be or become joined in wedlock; to be married, to wed.

    “God forbid, that I ſhould wiſh them ſeuer'd, / Whom God hath ioyn'd together: / I, and 'twere pittie, to ſunder them, / That yoake ſo well together.”

    “Alt[ea]. Shee would faine marry. / 1. Tis a proper calling, / And well beſeemes her yeares, who would ſhe yoke with?”

name

1. A language spoken in Indonesia