golden yard

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

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. [1913 Webster]

If men smote it with a yerde.— Chaucer.[1913 Webster]

2.A branch; a twig. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

The bitter frosts with the sleet and rain Destroyed hath the green in every yerd.— Chaucer.[1913 Webster]

3.A long piece of timber, as a rafter, etc. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

4.A measure of length, equaling three feet, or thirty-six inches, being the standard of English and American measure. [1913 Webster]

5.The penis. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]