yard
yard Lexical Profile
yard Game Scores & Validity
• noun
North American An area of land immediately adjacent to a building, often enclosed and frequently covered with grass or landscaping.
"The children spent the entire afternoon playing games in the back yard."
A unit of linear measure in the imperial and US customary systems equal to three feet or thirty-six inches (0.9144 meters).
"He bought a yard of heavy fabric to complete his sewing project."
A cylindrical piece of timber or metal slung across a ship's mast, used to support and spread a square sail.
"The sailors quickly climbed the rigging to secure the heavy canvas to the yard."
• verb
To confine or gather into an enclosed area (especially livestock).
"The rancher needed to yard the cattle before the heavy snowstorm hit the valley."
Word Nuance & Usage
In American English, a 'yard' typically refers to the grassy residential area around a house (analogous to the British 'garden'), whereas in British English, it usually describes a paved or hard-surfaced enclosure.
• Rhymes for yard
Word Origin & Etymology
Derives from two distinct Old English words that merged over time: 'geard' meaning an enclosure or garden, and 'gierd' meaning a measuring rod or staff.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.