yoke

noun27

1. •
   A bar or frame by which two oxen or other draught animals are joined at their necks enabling them to pull a cart, plough, etc.; two draught animals connected by such a yoke; (by extension) a device attached to a single draught animal for the same purpose.

   • 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. — 1557
2. •
   A pair of draught animals, especially oxen, yoked together to pull something.

   • I have bought fyve yooke of oxẽ [oxen]⸝ ãd I must goo to prove thẽ⸝ I praye the have me excused. — 1526
3. •
   (historical) A collar placed on the neck of a conquered person or prisoner to restrain movement.
4. •
   (historical) A frame placed on the neck of an animal such as a cow, pig, or goose to prevent passage through a fence or other barrier.

   • Strong yoke for a hog, with a twicher and rings, / with tar in a tarpot, for dangerous things: […] — 1878
5. •
   (figurative) Something which oppresses or restrains a person; a burden.

   • Their mothers bed-chamber should not be safe, / For these base bond-men to the yoake of Rome. — 1588
6. •
   A non-literal connection between tow things.
7. •
   (figurative) The bond or connection between things that are linked in some way.
8. •
   (figurative) A bond of love, especially marriage; also, a bond of friendship or partnership; an obligation or task borne by two or more people.

   • [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 […] — 1596
9. •
   Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke; a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc.

   • Steam Engines. […] The valve rods are coupled by connecting-rods […] and yokes[…], to eccentrics[…]. — 1890
10. •
    A pole carried on the neck and shoulders of a person, used for carrying a pair of buckets, etc., one at each end of the pole; a carrying pole.

    • 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. — 1821
11. •
    Originally, a metal piece connecting the poles of a magnet or electromagnet; later, a part of magnetic circuit (such as in a generator or motor) not surrounded by windings (“wires wound around the cores of electrical transformers”).
12. •
    A Y-shaped stand used to support a blowpipe or punty while reheating in the glory hole.
13. •
    A fitting placed across the head of the rudder with a line attached at each end by which a boat may be steered; in modern use it is primarily found in sailing canoes and kayaks.
14. •
    (US) A frame or convex crosspiece from which a bell is hung.
15. •
    The part of an item of clothing which fits around the shoulders or the hips from which the rest of the garment hangs, and which is often distinguished by having a double thickness of material, or decorative flourishes.
16. •
    Any of various devices with crosspieces used to control an aircraft; specifically, the control column.
17. •
    A similar device used as a game controller.
18. •
    well-developed muscles of the neck and shoulders.

    • 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. — 2010
19. •
    (Ireland, Scotland) A carriage, a horse and cart; (by extension, generally) a car or other vehicle.
20. •
    (Ireland, informal) A miscellaneous object; a gadget.

    • These three yokes [AK-47s] we're throwin' them up to them [CIRA]^([sic]) either way… — 2023
21. •
    (Ireland, slang) A pill of a psychoactive drug.
22. •
    (Ireland, informal) A chap, a fellow.
23. •
    (historical) Chiefly in pass under the yoke: a raised yoke, or a symbolic yoke formed from two spears installed upright in the ground with another spear connecting their tops, under which a defeated army was made to march as a sign of subjugation.
24. •
    The electromagnetic coil that deflects the electron beam in a cathode ray tube.
25. •
    (Scotland, historical) An amount of work done with draught animals, lasting about half a day; (by extension) an amount or shift of any work.
26. •
    (no longer used) A pair of things linked in some way.

    • [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. — 1597
27. •
    (no longer used) An area of arable land, specifically one consisting of a quarter of a suling, or around 50–60 acres (20–24 hectares); hence, a small manor or piece of land.

verb10

1. •
   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. — 1585
2. •
   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. — 1608
3. •
   (figurative) 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.
4. •
   (figurative) 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. — 1543
5. •
   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.
6. •
   To put (something) around someone's neck like a yoke; also, to surround (someone's neck) with something.
7. •
   (historical) To place a collar on the neck of (a conquered person or prisoner) to restrain movement.
8. •
   (historical) 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.
9. •
   (Scotland, no longer used) 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, […] — 1603
10. •
    (Scotland, no longer used) 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. — 1591

noun1

1. •
   radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter Y.