YOKE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does yoke mean? 

• YOKE (noun)
  The noun YOKE has 7 senses:

1. fabric comprising a fitted part at the top of a garment

2. an oppressive power

3. two items of the same kind

4. a pair of draft animals joined by a yoke

5. support consisting of a wooden frame across the shoulders that enables a person to carry buckets hanging from each end

6. a connection (like a clamp or vise) between two things so they move together

7. stable gear that joins two draft animals at the neck so they can work together as a team

  Familiarity information: YOKE used as a noun is common.

• YOKE (verb)
  The verb YOKE has 3 senses:

1. become joined or linked together

2. link with or as with a yoke

3. put a yoke on or join with a yoke

  Familiarity information: YOKE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• YOKE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fabric comprising a fitted part at the top of a garment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("yoke" is a kind of...):

cloth; fabric; material; textile (artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "yoke"):

tucker (a detachable yoke of linen or lace worn over the breast of a low-cut dress)

Holonyms ("yoke" is a part of...):

garment (an article of clothing)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An oppressive power

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Context example:

they threw off the yoke of domination

Hypernyms ("yoke" is a kind of...):

oppression (the state of being kept down by unjust use of force or authority:)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Two items of the same kind

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

brace; couple; couplet; distich; duad; duet; duo; dyad; pair; span; twain; twosome; yoke

Hypernyms ("yoke" is a kind of...):

2; deuce; II; two (the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number)

Meronyms (parts of "yoke"):

fellow; mate (one of a pair)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "yoke"):

doubleton ((bridge) a pair of playing cards that are the only cards in their suit in the hand dealt to a player)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A pair of draft animals joined by a yoke

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

pulled by a yoke of oxen

Hypernyms ("yoke" is a kind of...):

pair (two people considered as a unit)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Support consisting of a wooden frame across the shoulders that enables a person to carry buckets hanging from each end

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("yoke" is a kind of...):

support (any device that bears the weight of another thing)

Derivation:

yoke (put a yoke on or join with a yoke)

yoke (link with or as with a yoke)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A connection (like a clamp or vise) between two things so they move together

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

coupling; yoke

Hypernyms ("yoke" is a kind of...):

connecter; connection; connective; connector; connexion (an instrumentality that connects)

Derivation:

yoke (link with or as with a yoke)

yoke (become joined or linked together)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Stable gear that joins two draft animals at the neck so they can work together as a team

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("yoke" is a kind of...):

saddlery; stable gear; tack (gear for a horse)

Derivation:

yoke (put a yoke on or join with a yoke)

yoke (link with or as with a yoke)

• YOKE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they yoke    ... he / she / it yokes   
Past simple: yoked   
Past participle: yoked   
-ing form: yoking   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Become joined or linked together

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "yoke" is one way to...):

conjoin; join (make contact or come together)

Domain category:

animal husbandry (breeding and caring for farm animals)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

yoke (a connection (like a clamp or vise) between two things so they move together)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Link with or as with a yoke

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

link; yoke

Context example:

yoke the oxen together

Hypernyms (to "yoke" is one way to...):

attach (cause to be attached)

Domain category:

animal husbandry (breeding and caring for farm animals)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

yoke (stable gear that joins two draft animals at the neck so they can work together as a team)

yoke (a connection (like a clamp or vise) between two things so they move together)

yoke (support consisting of a wooden frame across the shoulders that enables a person to carry buckets hanging from each end)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Put a yoke on or join with a yoke

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

Yoke the draft horses together

Hypernyms (to "yoke" is one way to...):

attach (cause to be attached)

Domain category:

animal husbandry (breeding and caring for farm animals)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "yoke"):

inspan (attach a yoke or harness to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Antonym:

unyoke (remove the yoke from)

Derivation:

yoke (stable gear that joins two draft animals at the neck so they can work together as a team)

yoke (support consisting of a wooden frame across the shoulders that enables a person to carry buckets hanging from each end)

 Context examples 

I should suffer often, no doubt, attached to him only in this capacity: my body would be under rather a stringent yoke, but my heart and mind would be free.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Then he yoked his oxen, and drew the turnip to the court, and gave it to the king.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

They starched two hundred white shirts, with a single gathering movement seizing a shirt so that the wristbands, neckband, yoke, and bosom protruded beyond the circling right hand.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Again, when, after the battle of Mohács, we threw off the Hungarian yoke, we of the Dracula blood were amongst their leaders, for our spirit would not brook that we were not free.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

They were under a yoke,—I could free them: they were scattered,—I could reunite them: the independence, the affluence which was mine, might be theirs too.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

By this means he ironed the yoke, wristbands, and neckband, setting the latter at right angles to the shirt, and put the glossy finish on the bosom.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I rested my temples on the breast of temptation, and put my neck voluntarily under her yoke of flowers.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)