unyoke
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to free from or as if from a yoke.
-
to part or disjoin, as by removing a yoke.
verb (used without object)
-
to remove a yoke.
-
to cease work.
verb
-
to release (an animal, etc) from a yoke
-
(tr) to set free; liberate
-
(tr) to disconnect or separate
-
archaic (intr) to cease working
Etymology
Origin of unyoke
before 1000; Middle English unyoken, Old English ungeocian. See un- 2, yoke 1
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.
See Examples For:
Outspan, owt-span′, v.t. and v.i. to unyoke or unharness draught-oxen, &c., from a vehicle, to encamp—opp. to Inspan.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various
And when the travail is done, then they unyoke them and bring them to the stall: and tie them to the stall, and feed them thereat.
From Mediaeval Lore from Bartholomew Anglicus by Robert Steele
"There's one thing you can do, and that's to unyoke the beast and hobble it, and then strike for Taylor's on your feet," he advised.
From A Prairie Courtship by Harold Bindloss
You are a God-fearing man, I know, so make haste and unyoke them.'
From Tales of the Punjab by Flora Annie Steel
"I will unyoke the mare and give her a share of oats in the stable."
From Waysiders by Seumas O'Kelly
In the chaotic tangle of dust, horseflesh and steel, finding an unexpected advantage was not difficult for those unyoked from scruple.
From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2024
More specifically, a female third party, unyoked from ego.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2022
Although the Egyptians showed no particular desire to be unyoked, the Egyptian Cabinet neither declared war against Italy nor prepared its armed forces for action.
From Time Magazine Archive
Then he unyoked the bullocks and led them to the small pool of water near which we had stopped, giving them each a handful of hay.
From "Nectar in a Sieve" by Kamala Markandaya
At noon or night we unyoked him and let him go to get a little grass or hay for himself.
From Some Pioneers and Pilgrims on the Prairies of Dakota Or, From the ox team to the aeroplane by H. B. Reese
It was now too late to turn back; so, unyoking the oxen,64 they proceeded to lower the wagons down into the valley by hand, using chains and ropes.
From Wealth of the World's Waste Places and Oceania by Jewett Castello Gilson
We came thus upon some rainwater in the clay of the plains which, being sufficient to satisfy the bullocks, we gladly availed ourselves of the opportunity it afforded of watering them without unyoking.
From Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, Volume 2 by Thomas Mitchell
The Professor, himself, drove the team to the Cataract, and after unyoking them, followed the course of the river down to its mouth, to await the coming of the boys.
From The Wonder Island Boys: Exploring the Island by Roger Thompson Finlay
Mr. Clifford and Meyer rose to return to the waggon in order to superintend the unyoking of the oxen and to give directions as to their herding, and the off-saddling of the horses.
From Benita, an African romance by Henry Rider Haggard
But he tried not to show it, and while the men were unyoking the oxen, which immediately began to graze on the rich, succulent grass, Nic proceeded to unchain the dogs.
From First in the Field A Story of New South Wales by L. Rahey
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
