yoke
    n 1: fabric comprising a fitted part at the top of a garment
    2: an oppressive power; "under the yoke of a tyrant"; "they
       threw off the yoke of domination"
    3: two items of the same kind [syn: couple, pair, twosome,
       twain, brace, span, yoke, couplet, distich,
       duo, duet, dyad, duad]
    4: a pair of draft animals joined by a yoke; "pulled by a yoke
       of oxen"
    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 [syn: yoke, coupling]
    7: stable gear that joins two draft animals at the neck so they
       can work together as a team
    v 1: become joined or linked together
    2: link with or as with a yoke; "yoke the oxen together" [syn:
       yoke, link]
    3: put a yoke on or join with a yoke; "Yoke the draft horses
       together" [ant: unyoke]

Yoke \Yoke\ (y[=o]k), n. [OE. yok, [yogh]oc, AS. geoc; akin to
   D. juk, OHG. joh, G. joch, Icel. & Sw. ok, Dan. aag, Goth.
   juk, Lith. jungas, Russ. igo, L. jugum, Gr. zy`gon, Skr.
   yuga, and to L. jungere to join, Gr. ?, Skr. yui. [root]109,
   280. Cf. Join, Jougs, Joust, Jugular, Subjugate,
   Syzygy, Yuga, Zeugma.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. A bar or frame of wood by which two oxen are joined at the
      heads or necks for working together.
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            A yearling bullock to thy name shall smoke,
            Untamed, unconscious of the galling yoke. --Pope.
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   Note: The modern yoke for oxen is usually a piece of timber
         hollowed, or made curving, near each end, and laid on
         the necks of the oxen, being secured in place by two
         bows, one inclosing each neck, and fastened through the
         timber. In some countries the yoke consists of a flat
         piece of wood fastened to the foreheads of the oxen by
         thongs about the horns.
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   2. A frame or piece resembling a yoke, as in use or shape.
      Specifically:
      (a) A frame of wood fitted to a person's shoulders for
          carrying pails, etc., suspended on each side; as, a
          milkmaid's yoke.
      (b) A frame worn on the neck of an animal, as a cow, a
          pig, a goose, to prevent passage through a fence.
      (c) A frame or convex piece by which a bell is hung for
          ringing it. See Illust. of Bell.
      (d) A crosspiece upon the head of a boat's rudder. To its
          ends lines are attached which lead forward so that the
          boat can be steered from amidships.
      (e) (Mach.) A bent crosspiece connecting two other parts.
      (f) (Arch.) A tie securing two timbers together, not used
          for part of a regular truss, but serving a temporary
          purpose, as to provide against unusual strain.
      (g) (Dressmaking) A band shaped to fit the shoulders or
          the hips, and joined to the upper full edge of the
          waist or the skirt.
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   3. Fig.: That which connects or binds; a chain; a link; a
      bond connection.
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            Boweth your neck under that blissful yoke . . .
            Which that men clepeth spousal or wedlock.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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            This yoke of marriage from us both remove. --Dryden.
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   4. A mark of servitude; hence, servitude; slavery; bondage;
      service.
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            Our country sinks beneath the yoke.   --Shak.
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            My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. --Matt. xi.
                                                  30.
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   5. Two animals yoked together; a couple; a pair that work
      together.
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            I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove
            them.                                 --Luke xiv.
                                                  19.
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   6. The quantity of land plowed in a day by a yoke of oxen.
      [Obs.] --Gardner.
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   7. A portion of the working day; as, to work two yokes, that
      is, to work both portions of the day, or morning and
      afternoon. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
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   8. (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.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   Neck yoke, Pig yoke. See under Neck, and Pig.

   Yoke elm (Bot.), the European hornbeam (Carpinus
      Betulus), a small tree with tough white wood, often used
      for making yokes for cattle.
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Yoke \Yoke\, v. i.
   To be joined or associated; to be intimately connected; to
   consort closely; to mate.
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         We 'll yoke together, like a double shadow. --Shak.
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Yoke \Yoke\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Yoked; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Yoking.]
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   1. To put a yoke on; to join in or with a yoke; as, to yoke
      oxen, or pair of oxen.
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   2. To couple; to join with another. "Be ye not unequally
      yoked with unbelievers." --2 Cor. vi. 14.
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            Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb.   --Shak.
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   3. To enslave; to bring into bondage; to restrain; to
      confine.
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            Then were they yoked with garrisons.  --Milton.
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            The words and promises that yoke
            The conqueror are quickly broke.      --Hudibras.
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Yoke
   (1.) Fitted on the neck of oxen for the purpose of binding to
   them the traces by which they might draw the plough, etc. (Num.
   19:2; Deut. 21:3). It was a curved piece of wood called _'ol_.
   
     (2.) In Jer. 27:2; 28:10, 12 the word in the Authorized
   Version rendered "yoke" is _motah_, which properly means a
   "staff," or as in the Revised Version, "bar."
   
     These words in the Hebrew are both used figuratively of severe
   bondage, or affliction, or subjection (Lev. 26:13; 1 Kings 12:4;
   Isa. 47:6; Lam. 1:14; 3:27). In the New Testament the word
   "yoke" is also used to denote servitude (Matt. 11:29, 30; Acts
   15:10; Gal. 5:1).
   
     (3.) In 1 Sam. 11:7, 1 Kings 19:21, Job 1:3 the word thus
   translated is _tzemed_, which signifies a pair, two oxen yoked
   or coupled together, and hence in 1 Sam. 14:14 it represents as
   much land as a yoke of oxen could plough in a day, like the
   Latin _jugum_. In Isa. 5:10 this word in the plural is
   translated "acres."
   

YOKE, n.  An implement, madam, to whose Latin name, _jugum_, we owe
one of the most illuminating words in our language -- a word that
defines the matrimonial situation with precision, point and poignancy. 
A thousand apologies for withholding it.