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yoke (n.)
Old English geoc "contrivance for fastening a pair of draft animals," earlier geoht "pair of draft animals" (especially oxen), from Proto-Germanic *yukam (source also of Old Saxon juk, Old Norse ok, Danish aag, Middle Dutch joc, Dutch juk, Old High German joh, German joch, Gothic juk "yoke"), from PIE root *yeug- "to join." Figurative sense of "heavy burden, oppression, servitude" was in Old English.
yoke (v.)
Old English geocian "to yoke, join together," from yoke (n.). Related: Yoked; yoking.
updated on May 12, 2017
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