paddock
1 Americannoun
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a small, usually enclosed field near a stable or barn for pasturing or exercising animals.
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the enclosure in which horses are saddled and mounted before a race.
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Australian. any enclosed field or pasture.
verb (used with object)
noun
noun
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a small enclosed field, often for grazing or training horses, usually near a house or stable
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(in horse racing) the enclosure in which horses are paraded and mounted before a race, together with the accompanying rooms
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(in motor racing) an area near the pits where cars are worked on before races
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any area of fenced land
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a playing field
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informal a stockroute or roadside area offering feed to sheep and cattle in dry times
verb
noun
Etymology
Origin of paddock1
1540–50; variant of Middle English parrok, with r heard as flapped d; Old English pearroc enclosure, originally fence. See park
Origin of paddock2
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English paddok(e), derivative of early Middle English pad “toad” (compare English dialectal pad “frog”); akin to Dutch, Low German pad, Old Norse padda; -ock
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The calendar works against England, with no space for friendlies or even training camps on the paddock during the season, such is demand on clubs and players.
From BBC
He now says the lack of action to tackle fly-tipping on the former horse paddock has been "outrageous".
From BBC
The donkeys in the front paddock of the psychiatrist's countryside home bely that glitzy, glamourous list.
From BBC
He campaigned for safety like no other driver and still often graces the paddock today, at the age of 86.
From BBC
The two Wales teams train side-by-side at a hotel complex west of Cardiff, a pristine rugby paddock juxtaposed with a football pitch.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
