6. (Naut.) A long piece of timber, nearly cylindrical, tapering toward the ends, and designed to support and extend a square sail. A yard is usually hung by the center to the mast. See Illust. of Ship.
Golden Yard, or Yard and Ell (Astron.), a popular name of the three stars in the belt of Orion. -- Under yard [i. e., under the rod], under contract. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Yard, n. [OE. yard, yerd, AS. geard; akin to OFries. garda garden, OS. gardo garden, gard yard, D. gaard garden, G. garten, OHG. garto garden, gari inclosure, Icel. garðr yard, house, Sw. gård, Dan. gaard, Goth. gards a house, garda sheepfold, L. hortus garden, Gr. cho`rtos an inclosure. Cf. Court, Garden, Garth, Horticulture, Orchard.]
1. An inclosure; usually, a small inclosed place in front of, or around, a house or barn; as, a courtyard; a cowyard; a barnyard.
A yard . . . inclosed all about with sticks
In which she had a cock, hight chanticleer.
Chaucer.
2. An inclosure within which any work or business is carried on; as, a dockyard; a shipyard.
Liberty of the yard, a liberty, granted to persons imprisoned for debt, of walking in the yard, or within any other limits prescribed by law, on their giving bond not to go beyond those limits. -- Prison yard, an inclosure about a prison, or attached to it. -- Yard grass (Bot.), a low-growing grass (Eleusine Indica) having digitate spikes. It is common in dooryards, and like places, especially in the Southern United States. Called also crab grass. -- Yard of land. See Yardland.
Yard, v. t. To confine (cattle) to the yard; to shut up, or keep, in a yard; as, to yard cows.
Yard"arm` (?), n. (Naut.) Either half of a square-rigged vessel's yard, from the center or mast to the end.
Ships are said to be yardarm and yardarm when so near as to touch, or interlock yards.
Yard"ful (?), n.; pl. Yardfuls (&?;). As much as a yard will contain; enough to fill a yard.
Yard"land` (?), n. (O. Eng. Law) A measure of land of uncertain quantity, varying from fifteen to forty acres; a virgate. [Obs.]
Yard"stick` (?), n. A stick three feet, or a yard, in length, used as a measure of cloth, etc.
Yard"wand` (?), n. A yardstick. Tennyson.
Yare (?), a. [OE. yare, aru, AS. gearu; akin to OS. garu, OHG. garo, G. gar, Icel. gerr perfect, görva quite, G. gerben to tan, to curry, OHG. garawen, garwen, to make ready. Cf. Carouse, Garb clothing, Gear, n.] Ready; dexterous; eager; lively; quick to move. [Obs.] "Be yare in thy preparation." Shak.
The lesser [ship] will come and go, leave or take, and is yare; whereas the greater is slow.
Sir W. Raleigh.
Yare, adv. Soon. [Obs.] Cursor Mundi.
Yare"ly, adv. In a yare manner. [Obs.] Shak.