cattle guard

American  

noun

1. a structure consisting typically of parallel bars over a shallow ditch, used to prevent cattle from straying.

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Etymology

Origin of cattle guard

First recorded in 1835–45

Example Sentences

Soft know-it-alls from the city and phonies of any stripe receive rough treatment in his shows, such as the llama farmer from California who gets thrown under a Montana cattle guard in “Yellowstone.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025

She drove across a cattle guard and caught a reflection of light to her left.

From Washington Times • Oct. 3, 2021

Grandpa would have chuckled at a man with a cattle guard on the front of his truck driving to and from an office job.

From The Guardian • Sep. 6, 2018

Before sunrise on Dec. 19, they would stealthily roll their vehicles across a cattle guard and down the dirt path to Mr. Magee’s trailer.

From New York Times • Mar. 18, 2017

Past the gatehouses we turned left over a cattle guard and onto a dirt perimeter road that led to the far side of the campsite.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston