ranch
English meaning: Ranch
Definition
A large plot of land used for raising cattle, sheep or other livestock.
Example
“They run a cattle ranch on a thousand acres in Texas.”
Another example: “The kids spent a week at a dude ranch learning to ride horses.”
Usage — When, Where & How
An everyday noun for a large farm for raising cattle, sheep, or horses, chiefly in North America; also a verb ('to ranch'). Also 'ranch dressing' (a creamy salad dressing) and 'ranch house' (a single-storey home). Neutral, somewhat American register.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Mexican Spanish 'rancho' (a group who eat together, a small farm), from Spanish 'rancharse' (to be lodged); 19th-century American English.
Related Words
- dude
- ranching
- rancho
- rancher
- foreman
- cattle
- rodeo
- cowboy
- wyoming
- adobe
Common Collocations
- cattle ranch
- ranch house
- dude ranch
- working ranch
- ranch dressing
- ranch hand
Word Forms
ranch (n & v); ranched; ranching; rancher (n); ranches (pl)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
CC-licensed · free to useVideo
Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B