ranch

American  

[ranch] / ræntʃ /

noun

1. an establishment maintained for raising livestock under range conditions.

2. Chiefly Western U.S. and Canada. a large farm used primarily to raise one kind of crop or animal.

   a mink ranch.

3. a dude ranch.

4. the persons employed or living on a ranch.

5. ranch house.

6. ranch dressing.

   I’ll have the small salad, with ranch on the side.

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verb (used without object)

1. to manage or work on a ranch.

ranch British  

/ rɑːntʃ /

noun

1. a large tract of land, esp one in North America, together with the necessary personnel, buildings, and equipment, for rearing livestock, esp cattle

2. 1. any large farm for the rearing of a particular kind of livestock or crop

      a mink ranch

   2. the buildings, land, etc, connected with it

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verb

1. (intr) to manage or run a ranch

2. (tr) to raise (animals) on or as if on a ranch

Other Word Forms

• ranchless adjective
• ranchlike adjective
• unranched adjective

Etymology

Origin of ranch

An Americanism dating from 1800–10; from Spanish rancho “farm, cattle farm, ranch”; rancho

Example Sentences

After leaving his newborn daughter in the care of his sister Bamie, a grief-stricken Roosevelt fled to his cattle ranch in the Dakota Territory.

From The Wall Street Journal

The lovebirds also hold the keys to an expansive ranch in West Texas, just north of Van Horn.

From MarketWatch

Lapaseotes was accused of not having a bill of sale for about 460 of her own calves before moving them from her ranch to her family’s feedlot, one of the largest in Nebraska.

From The Wall Street Journal

That fall, we returned to Montreal and lived in a ranch house in Mount Royal.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Known for its peace and privacy, the Trappist monks have lived and managed this idyllic ranch for over 68 years,” the description added.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• dairy farm
• estate
• homestead
• land
• plantation