pig yoke

Pig \Pig\, n. [Cf. D. big, bigge, LG. bigge, also Dan. pige
   girl, Sw. piga, Icel. p[imac]ka.]
   1. The young of swine, male or female; also, any swine; a
      hog. "Two pigges in a poke." --Chaucer.
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   2. (Zool.) Any wild species of the genus {Sus} and related
      genera.
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   3. [Cf. {Sow} a channel for melted iron.] An oblong mass of
      cast iron, lead, or other metal. See {Mine pig}, under
      {Mine}.
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   4. One who is hoggish; a greedy person. [Low]
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   {Masked pig}. (Zool.) See under {Masked}.

   {Pig bed} (Founding), the bed of sand in which the iron from
      a smelting furnace is cast into pigs.

   {Pig iron}, cast iron in pigs, or oblong blocks or bars, as
      it comes from the smelting furnace. See {Pig}, 4.

   {Pig yoke} (Naut.), a nickname for a quadrant or sextant.

   {A pig in a poke} (that is, bag), a blind bargain; something
      bought or bargained for, without the quality or the value
      being known. [Colloq.]
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Yoke \Yoke\ (y[=o]k), n. [OE. yok, [yogh]oc, AS. geoc; akin to
   D. juk, OHG. joh, G. joch, Icel. & Sw. ok, Dan. aag, Goth.
   juk, Lith. jungas, Russ. igo, L. jugum, Gr. zy`gon, Skr.
   yuga, and to L. jungere to join, Gr. ?, Skr. yui. [root]109,
   280. Cf. {Join}, {Jougs}, {Joust}, {Jugular}, {Subjugate},
   {Syzygy}, {Yuga}, {Zeugma}.]
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   1. A bar or frame of wood by which two oxen are joined at the
      heads or necks for working together.
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            A yearling bullock to thy name shall smoke,
            Untamed, unconscious of the galling yoke. --Pope.
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   Note: The modern yoke for oxen is usually a piece of timber
         hollowed, or made curving, near each end, and laid on
         the necks of the oxen, being secured in place by two
         bows, one inclosing each neck, and fastened through the
         timber. In some countries the yoke consists of a flat
         piece of wood fastened to the foreheads of the oxen by
         thongs about the horns.
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   2. A frame or piece resembling a yoke, as in use or shape.
      Specifically:
      (a) A frame of wood fitted to a person's shoulders for
          carrying pails, etc., suspended on each side; as, a
          milkmaid's yoke.
      (b) A frame worn on the neck of an animal, as a cow, a
          pig, a goose, to prevent passage through a fence.
      (c) A frame or convex piece by which a bell is hung for
          ringing it. See Illust. of {Bell}.
      (d) A crosspiece upon the head of a boat's rudder. To its
          ends lines are attached which lead forward so that the
          boat can be steered from amidships.
      (e) (Mach.) A bent crosspiece connecting two other parts.
      (f) (Arch.) A tie securing two timbers together, not used
          for part of a regular truss, but serving a temporary
          purpose, as to provide against unusual strain.
      (g) (Dressmaking) A band shaped to fit the shoulders or
          the hips, and joined to the upper full edge of the
          waist or the skirt.
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   3. Fig.: That which connects or binds; a chain; a link; a
      bond connection.
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            Boweth your neck under that blissful yoke . . .
            Which that men clepeth spousal or wedlock.
                                                  --Chaucer.
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            This yoke of marriage from us both remove. --Dryden.
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   4. A mark of servitude; hence, servitude; slavery; bondage;
      service.
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            Our country sinks beneath the yoke.   --Shak.
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            My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. --Matt. xi.
                                                  30.
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   5. Two animals yoked together; a couple; a pair that work
      together.
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            I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove
            them.                                 --Luke xiv.
                                                  19.
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   6. The quantity of land plowed in a day by a yoke of oxen.
      [Obs.] --Gardner.
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   7. A portion of the working day; as, to work two yokes, that
      is, to work both portions of the day, or morning and
      afternoon. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
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   8. (Chiefly Mach.) A clamp or similar piece that embraces two
      other parts to hold or unite them in their respective or
      relative positions, as a strap connecting a slide valve to
      the valve stem, or the soft iron block or bar permanently
      connecting the pole pieces of an electromagnet, as in a
      dynamo.
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   {Neck yoke}, {Pig yoke}. See under {Neck}, and {Pig}.

   {Yoke elm} (Bot.), the European hornbeam ({Carpinus
      Betulus}), a small tree with tough white wood, often used
      for making yokes for cattle.
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