yoke.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck.
Meaning & usage
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. 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.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke (sense 1.1); a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke (sense 1.1); a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc. 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.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke (sense 1.1); a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc. Any of various devices with crosspieces used to control an aircraft; specifically, the control column.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke (sense 1.1); a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc. Any of various devices with crosspieces used to control an aircraft; specifically, the control column. A similar device used as a game controller.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke (sense 1.1); a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc. well-developed muscles of the neck and shoulders.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke (sense 1.1); a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc. 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.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke (sense 1.1); a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc. 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”).
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke (sense 1.1); a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc. The electromagnetic coil that deflects the electron beam in a cathode ray tube.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke (sense 1.1); a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc. A Y-shaped stand used to support a blowpipe or punty while reheating in the glory hole.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke (sense 1.1); a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc. 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.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Any of various linking or supporting objects that resembles a yoke (sense 1.1); a crosspiece, a curved bar, etc. A frame or convex crosspiece from which a bell is hung.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. A collar placed on the neck of a conquered person or prisoner to restrain movement.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. 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.
Senses relating to a frame around the neck. Chiefly in pass under the yoke: a raised yoke (sense 1.1), 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.
Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals. A pair of draught animals, especially oxen, yoked together to pull something.
Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals. The bond or connection between things that are linked in some way.
Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals. A pair of things linked in some way.
Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals. A carriage, a horse and cart; (by extension, generally) a car or other vehicle.
Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals. A miscellaneous object; a gadget.
Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals. A chap, a fellow.
Senses relating to a pair of harnessed draught animals. A pill of a psychoactive drug.
Senses relating to quantities. 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.
Senses relating to quantities. An amount of work done with draught animals, lasting about half a day; (by extension) an amount or shift of any work.
to work two yokes
A non-literal connection between tow things. A bond of love, especially marriage; also, a bond of friendship or partnership; an obligation or task borne by two or more people.
A non-literal connection between tow things. Something which oppresses or restrains a person; a burden.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English iuc, jok, yok, yoke, ȝok, ȝook, from Old English ġeoc, ġioc, ioc (“yoke”), from Proto-West Germanic *juk, from Proto-Germanic *juką (“yoke”), from Proto-Indo-European *yugóm (“yoke”), from *yewg- (“to join, yoke”). Doublet of yuga, jugum, yoga and possibly yogh. Senses 3.1 (“area of arable land”) and 3.2 (“amount of work done with draught animals”) probably referred to the area of land that could generally be ploughed by yoked draught animals within a given time. Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian Juk (“yoke”), Cimbrian jòch (“yoke”), Dutch juk (“yoke; burden”), German Joch (“yoke”), Luxembourgish Jach (“yoke”), Danish åg (“yoke”), Faroese, Icelandic, and Swedish ok (“yoke”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk åk (“yoke”), Gothic 𐌾𐌿𐌺 (juk, “yoked pair of animals”); also Breton yev (“yoke”), Irish and Scottish Gaelic cuing (“yoke; bond, tie”), Manx quing (“yoke”), Welsh iau (“yoke”), Latin iugum, jugum (“yoke”), Greek ζυγός (zygós, “even; twin”), Latvian jūgs (“yoke; bondage; cart”), Lithuanian jungas (“yoke”), Bulgarian и́го (ígo), юго (jugo, “yoke”), Czech jho (“yoke”), Kashubian jigò, jugò (“yoke”), Macedonian иго (igo, “yoke”), Polabian jaiďü (“yoke”), Russian и́го (ígo, “yoke”), Serbo-Croatian и́го, ígo (“yoke”), Slovene igo (“yoke”), Ukrainian і́го (ího, “yoke”), Armenian լուծ (luc, “harness, yoke”), Persian یوغ (yuġ, “yoke”), Hittite 𒄿𒌑𒃷 (yukan, “yoke”), Tocharian A yokäm (“door”), Sanskrit युग (yuga, “yoke; brace; couple, pair”).
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.
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.
To put (something) around someone's neck like a yoke; also, to surround (someone's neck) with something.
To place a collar on the neck of (a conquered person or prisoner) to restrain movement.
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.
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.
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.
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).
To be or become connected, linked, or united in a relationship; to have dealings with.
To be or become joined in wedlock; to be married, to wed.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English yoken, yoke, ȝoken (“to put a harness or yoke on a draught animal or pair of such animals, to yoke; to attach (an animal to a cart, plough, etc.) with a yoke; to lock (arms) in wrestling; to bind (oneself or someone) to something”) [and other forms], from Old English ġeocian, iucian, from Old English ġeoc (“yoke”) (see etymology 1) + -ian (suffix forming verbs from adjectives and nouns).
Misspelling of yolk.
Where this word comes from
See yolk.
Try it on your idea.
yoke has 4 characters. Say it out loud, try it alongside a description of your project, and see whether its meaning fits what you want to create.
These are naming prompts. Meanings and pronunciation can vary; existing brand and domain uses have not been checked.
Explore the name generatorA word with a source.
Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.