Yard \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. gar[eth]r
   yard, house, Sw. g[*a]rd, Dan. gaard, Goth. gards a house,
   garda sheepfold, L. hortus garden, Gr. cho`rtos an inclosure.
   Cf. {Court}, {Garden}, {Garth}, {Horticulture}, {Orchard}.]
   
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   1. An inclosure; usually, a small inclosed place in front of,
      or around, a house or barn; as, a courtyard; a cowyard; a
      barnyard.
      
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            A yard . . . inclosed all about with sticks
            In which she had a cock, hight chanticleer.
                                                  --Chaucer.
      
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   2. An inclosure within which any work or business is carried
      on; as, a dockyard; a shipyard.
      
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   {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}.
      
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Yard \Yard\, n. [OE. yerd, AS. gierd, gyrd, a rod, stick, a
   measure, a yard; akin to OFries. ierde, OS. gerda, D. garde,
   G. gerte, OHG. gartia, gerta, gart, Icel. gaddr a goad,
   sting, Goth. gazds, and probably to L. hasta a spear. Cf.
   {Gad}, n., {Gird}, n., {Gride}, v. i., {Hastate}.]
   1. A rod; a stick; a staff. [Obs.] --P. Plowman.
      
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            If men smote it with a yerde.         --Chaucer.
      
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   2. A branch; a twig. [Obs.]
      
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            The bitter frosts with the sleet and rain
            Destroyed hath the green in every yerd. --Chaucer.
      
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   3. A long piece of timber, as a rafter, etc. [Obs.]
      
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   4. A measure of length, equaling three feet, or thirty-six
      inches, being the standard of English and American
      measure.
      
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   5. The penis.
      
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   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}.
      
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   7. (Zool.) A place where moose or deer herd together in
      winter for pasture, protection, etc.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   {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.
      
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Yard \Yard\, v. t.
   To confine (cattle) to the yard; to shut up, or keep, in a
   yard; as, to yard cows.
   
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