paddock

¹

[ pad-uhk ]

noun

1. a small, usually enclosed field near a stable or barn for pasturing or exercising animals.
2. the enclosure in which horses are saddled and mounted before a race.
3. Australian. any enclosed field or pasture.

verb (used with object)

1. to confine or enclose in or as in a paddock.

paddock

²

[ pad-uhk ]

noun

1. Archaic. a frog or toad.

paddock

¹

/ ˈpædək /

noun

1. archaic.
   a frog or toad Also called (Scot)puddock

paddock

²

/ ˈpædək /

noun

1. a small enclosed field, often for grazing or training horses, usually near a house or stable
2. (in horse racing) the enclosure in which horses are paraded and mounted before a race, together with the accompanying rooms
3. (in motor racing) an area near the pits where cars are worked on before races
4. any area of fenced land
5. a playing field
6. the long paddock informal.
   a stockroute or roadside area offering feed to sheep and cattle in dry times

verb

1. tr to confine (horses, etc) in a paddock

Word History and Origins

Origin of paddock¹

1540–50; variant of Middle English parrok, with r heard as flapped d; Old English pearroc enclosure, originally fence. See park

Origin of paddock²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English paddok(e), derivative of early Middle English pad “toad” (compare English dialectal pad “frog”); akin to Dutch, Low German pad, Old Norse padda; -ock

Word History and Origins

Origin of paddock¹

C12: from pad toad, probably from Old Norse padda; see -ock

Origin of paddock²

C17: variant of dialect parrock, from Old English pearruc enclosure, of Germanic origin. See park

Example Sentences

Our research found over half of our cheesemakers were using multiple methods to reduce whey going to waste, from making animal feed to making ricotta to irrigating paddocks.

From Salon

"None of us wanted to celebrate or anything else until she was back in the paddock."

From BBC

"All being well, we hope that Cinnamon will return to her usual paddock with the rest of her family next week," Mr Dorrell added.

From BBC

The property is miles from the highway, accessible on two-lane roads lined by horse paddocks, white fences and canopies of gnarled live oaks.

From Los Angeles Times

As the first cow entered the paddock, speakers blared Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• oval
• track