ranch

[ranch]

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.

verb (used without object)

1. to manage or work on a ranch.

ranch

/ 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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ranch¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of ranch¹

C19: from Mexican Spanish rancho small farm; see _rancho

Example Sentences

The owners eventually stopped maintaining potable water on the ranch, raising the risk of E. coli or other diseases, according to the lawsuit.

From Los Angeles Times

For creamy, yolky dishes: fold it into cheesy potatoes, swipe it into horseradish aioli alongside fries, or whisk it into a horseradish–ranch dressing for a steak salad.

From Salon

One of the people who helped them most was Luttrell, who has a ranch in Georgia, and immediately offered her a place to stay: “He’s like, ‘Bring her to the ranch.

From Los Angeles Times

One of the biggest issues in his district recently, he noted, has been concern over wolves, who have been roaming ranch lands, killing cattle and enraging ranchers and other property owners.

From Los Angeles Times

Decades ago, she’d married into a ranching and timber family, and a chunk of the forest she owned was bulldozed for a transmission line.

From Salon

Related Words

• dairy farm 
• estate 
• homestead 
• land 
• plantation