a device for joining together a pair of draft animals, esp. oxen, usually consisting of a crosspiece with two bow-shaped pieces, each enclosing the head of an animal. Compare harness(def. 1).
2.
a pair of draft animals fastened together by a yoke: five yoke of oxen.
3.
something resembling a yoke or a bow of a yoke in form or use.
4.
a frame fitting the neck and shoulders of a person, for carrying a pair of buckets or the like, one at each end.
5.
an agency of oppression, subjection, servitude, etc.
6.
an emblem or symbol of subjection, servitude, slavery, etc., as an archway under which prisoners of war were compelled to pass by the ancient Romans and others.
7.
something that couples or binds together; a bond or tie.
8.
Machinery. a viselike piece gripping two parts firmly together.
9.
Also called fork.a forklike termination for a rod or shaft, inside which another part is secured.
10.
a fitting for the neck of a draft animal for suspending the tongue of a cart, carriage, etc., from a harness.
11.
a crosshead attached to the upper piston of an opposed-piston engine with rods to transmit power to the crankshaft.
12.
(in an airplane) a double handle, somewhat like a steering wheel in form, by which the elevators are controlled.
13.
Nautical. a crossbar on the head of the rudder of a small boat, having lines or chains attached to the ends so as to permit the steering of the boat from forward.
a shaped piece in a garment, fitted about or below the neck and shoulders or about the hips, from which the rest of the garment hangs.
16.
a horizontal piece forming the top of a window frame.
17.
a Y-shaped piece connecting branch pipes with a main soil pipe.
18.
Television. an electromagnetic assembly placed around the neck of a cathode-ray tube to produce and control the scanning motion of electron beams inside the tube.
19.
BritishDialect. (esp. in Kent)
a.
the time during which a plowman and team work without stopping; a period of plowing.
b.
a measure or area of land equal to over 50 but less than 60 acres.
20.
a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter Y.
–verb (used with object)
21.
to put a yoke on; join or couple by means of a yoke.
22.
to attach (a draft animal) to a plow or vehicle: to yoke oxen.
23.
to harness a draft animal to (a plow or vehicle): to yoke a wagon.
24.
to join, couple, link, or unite.
25.
Obsolete. to bring into subjection or servitude.
–verb (used without object)
26.
to be or become joined, linked, or united.
[Origin: bef. 900; (n.) ME yok(e), OE geoc; c. D juk, G Joch, ON ok, L jugum, Gk zygón, Hittite yugan, Skt yuga; (v.) ME yoken, OE geocian, deriv. of the n.]
A crossbar with two U-shaped pieces that encircle the necks of a pair of oxen or other draft animals working together.
pl.yoke or yokes A pair of draft animals, such as oxen, joined by a yoke.
A bar used with a double harness to connect the collar of each horse to the pole of a wagon or coach.
Any of various emblems of subjugation, such as a structure made of two upright spears with a third laid across them, under which conquered enemies of ancient Rome were forced to march in subjection.
The condition of being subjugated by or as if by a conqueror; subjugation or bondage: 14th-century Russia under the Tartar yoke; the yoke of drug addiction.
A frame designed to be carried across a person's shoulders with equal loads suspended from each end.
Nautical A crossbar on a ship's rudder to which the steering cables are connected.
A clamp or vise that holds a machine part in place or controls its movement or that holds two such parts together.
A piece of a garment that is closely fitted, either around the neck and shoulders or at the hips, and from which an unfitted or gathered part of the garment is hung.
Something that connects or joins together; a bond or tie.
Electronics A series of two or more magnetic recording heads fastened securely together for playing or recording on more than one track simultaneously.
Any of various emblems of subjugation, such as a structure made of two upright spears with a third laid across them, under which conquered enemies of ancient Rome were forced to march in subjection.
The condition of being subjugated by or as if by a conqueror; subjugation or bondage: 14th-century Russia under the Tartar yoke; the yoke of drug addiction.
v.
yoked, yok·ing, yokes
v.
tr.
To fit or join with a yoke.
To harness a draft animal to.
To harness (a draft animal) to a vehicle or an implement.
To join securely as if with a yoke; bind: partners who were yoked together for life.
To force into heavy labor, bondage, or subjugation.
v.
intr.
To become joined securely.
[Middle English, from Old English geoc; see yeug- in Indo-European roots.]
O.E. geoc "yoke," earlier geoht "pair of draft animals," from P.Gmc. *yukam (cf. O.S. juk, O.N. ok, Dan. aag, M.Du. joc, Du. juk, O.H.G. joh, Ger. joch, Goth. juk "yoke"), from PIE *jugom "joining" (see jugular). Figurative sense of "heavy burden, oppression, servitude" was in O.E. The verb is from O.E. geocian.
Join\ (join), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Joined; p. pr. & vb. n. Joining.] [OE. joinen, joignen, F. joindre, fr. L. jungere to yoke, bind together, join; akin to jugum yoke. See Yoke, and cf. Conjugal, Junction, Junta.]1. To bring together, literally or figuratively; to place in contact; to connect; to couple; to unite; to combine; to associate; to add; to append. Woe unto them that join house to house. --Is. v. 8. Held up his left hand, which did flame and burn Like twenty torches joined. --Shak. Thy tuneful voice with numbers join. --Dryden. 2. To associate one's self to; to be or become connected with; to league one's self with; to unite with; as, to join a party; to join the church. We jointly now to join no other head. --Dryden. 3. To unite in marriage. He that joineth his virgin in matrimony. --Wyclif. What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. --Matt. xix. 6. 4. To enjoin upon; to command. [Obs. & R.] They join them penance, as they call it. --Tyndale. 5. To accept, or engage in, as a contest; as, to join encounter, battle, issue. --Milton. To join battle, To join issue. See under Battle, Issue. Syn: To add; annex; unite; connect; combine; consociate; couple; link; append. See Add.
Jougs\, n. [F. joug a yoke, L. jugum. See Yoke.] An iron collar fastened to a wall or post, formerly used in Scotland as a kind of pillory. [Written also juggs.] See Juke. --Sir W. Scott.
Yoke\, n. (Chiefly Mach.) A clamp or similar piece that embraces two other parts to hold or unite them in their respective or relative positions, as a strap connecting a slide valve to the valve stem, or the soft iron block or bar permanently connecting the pole pieces of an electromagnet, as in a dynamo.
Sub"ju*gate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Subjugated; p. pr. & vb. n. Subjugating.] [L. subjugatus, p. p. of subjugare to subjugate; sub under + jugum a yoke. See Yoke.] To subdue, and bring under the yoke of power or dominion; to conquer by force, and compel to submit to the government or absolute control of another; to vanquish. He subjugated a king, and called him his "vassal." --Baker. Syn: To conquer; subdue; overcome. See Conquer.
![[P]](http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/premium_mh.gif){kind=small}
Audio Help [yohk] Pronunciation Key noun, plural yokes for 1, 3–20, yoke for 2; verb, yoked, yok·ing. 
