ranch

Etymology

Recorded since 1808, farm sense since 1831. From American Spanish rancho (“small farm, group of farm huts”), in Spanish originally “group of people who eat together”, from ranchear (“to lodge or station”), from Old French ranger (“install in position”), from rang (“row, line”) (cognate with English rank)

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ɹæntʃ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɑːntʃ

Noun

ranch (plural ranches)

1. A large plot of land used for raising cattle, sheep or other livestock.
   • 1899, Stephen Crane, chapter 1, in Twelve O'Clock:

     There was some laughter, and Roddle was left free to expand his ideas on the periodic visits of cowboys to the town. “Mason Rickets, he had ten big punkins a-sittin' in front of his store, an' them fellers from the Upside-down-F ranch shot 'em up […].”

2. (Southwestern US) A small farm that cultivates vegetables and/or livestock.
3. A house or property on a plot of ranch land.
4. Ranch dressing.

Verb

ranch (third-person singular simple present ranches, present participle ranching, simple past and past participle ranched)

1. To operate a ranch; engage in ranching.

   Formally the widow still ranches, but in fact she leaves all ranching to the foreman.

2. To work on a ranch

   Bill had ranched only five years when his dad made him foreman.

Etymology

From English ranch.

Noun

ranch c (singular definite ranchen, plural indefinite rancher)

1. a ranch

See also

• rancher

References

• “ranch” in Den Danske Ordbog

Etymology

Borrowed from English ranch, from Spanish rancho (“small farm, group of farm huts”).

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

ranch m (plural ranches or ranchen, diminutive ranchje n)

1. ranch, notably livestock breeding farm, especially in North America and in other English-speaking countries

Etymology

Borrowed from English ranch, from American Spanish rancho (“small farm, group of farm huts”), in Spanish originally “group of people who eat together”, from ranchear (“to lodge, station”), from Old French ranger (“to install in position”), from rang (“row, line”) (cognate with English rank)

Noun

ranch m (invariable)

1. A ranch, notably livestock breeding farm.