# yard

/ˈjɑɹd/ (US) · /jˈɑːd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/yard
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 2. unit of length

noun · CEFR B1 · American English · British English

a unit of length equal to 3 feet or about 91 centimetres.

For teachers: a unit of linear measure in the imperial and US customary systems, equivalent to three feet or 0.9144 metres.

- She bought two yards of blue fabric to make new curtains.
- The tailor requested an extra yard of silk to ensure the pattern would align perfectly across the seams of the gown.

### 3. enclosed work area

noun · CEFR B2

an outside area used for a special purpose, like storing wood or keeping trains.

For teachers: an enclosed outdoor area designated for a specific industrial, commercial, or agricultural function.

- The old train yard was full of rusted engines and empty carriages.
- Security at the lumber yard was tightened after several expensive shipments of cedar went missing over the weekend.

### 4. home

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang · Dialect

a slang word for your home or where you live.

For teachers: a term for one's house or place of residence, common in specific Caribbean-influenced dialects.

- I'm just heading back to my yard to grab my jacket.
- He invited the whole crew back to his yard for a barbecue after the match ended.

### 5. sailing spar

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a long pole attached to a mast to hold a sail.

For teachers: a long spar suspended from a mast to support and spread a square sail.

- The sailors climbed high into the rigging to secure the sail to the yard.
- During the gale, the main yard snapped under the immense pressure of the wind, leaving the vessel difficult to steer.

### 6. large sum of money

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · Technical

a slang term for one hundred dollars or, in finance, one billion.

For teachers: a slang term for one hundred units of currency; in financial markets, it specifically denotes one billion.

- He managed to make a yard on that last trade.
- In the high-stakes world of currency trading, a yard refers to a billion units of the base currency.

### 7. to put in an enclosure

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to put animals into a yard or enclosed area.

For teachers: to confine livestock or materials within a yard or similar enclosure.

- The farmer began to yard the sheep as the storm approached.
- The cattle were yarded for inspection before being loaded onto the transport trucks for the market.

## Examples

- The children are playing in the yard behind the house.
- We spent the entire weekend cleaning up the yard and planting new flowers for the spring.
- The industrial yard was filled with stacks of reclaimed timber and rusted machinery, awaiting a buyer who could see past the decay.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.